Rare diseases in Tanzania: a National Call for Action to address policy and urgent needs of individuals with rare diseases.

ABSTRACT: A rare disease is generally defined as a condition which affects about 1 among 2000 people and currently, there are approximately 5000-8000 rare diseases (RDs) affecting over 400 million people world-wide. Although RDs may arise from different causes such as infections and environmental factors, about 80% are caused by genetic abnormalities. In Tanzania, there are no reports of the types of RDs, their incidence, distribution and numbers of individuals affected. In addition, there have been no strategies to map RDs in the country and develop a definition that fits the local context. Public awareness and understanding of RDs are very limited, and these lead to poor management and stigmatisation of patients. To address the ongoing problems, Tanzania joined other countries world-wide and globa

SUBMITTER: Kaywanga F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9446714 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature