On May 24, 2025, something unprecedented happened: for the first time in history, the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) unanimously adopted a resolution titled ‘Skin diseases as a global public health priority’ . This long-overdue resolution marks a significant shift in how the world understands skin health, not only as a cosmetic issue, but as a core component of global public health, social equity, and human dignity.
How this resolution came about
The road to this resolution was paved through years of advocacy, cross-sector partnerships, and irrefutable data. Despite affecting an estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide, skin diseases have remained chronically underfunded and neglected, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This landmark resolution, jointly sponsored by Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Togo, and Micronesia, and others, supported by the International League of Dermatologic Societies (ILDS), the world’s largest alliance of dermatology organizations marks a pivotal moment in recognising skin diseases as a global public health priority. It reflects a growing global recognition that skin health is central to the well-being and dignity of populations across every region.
Voices from the global south
The urgency of this resolution is especially pronounced in low-resource settings where dermatologic care is inaccessible and stigma remains high. Folakemi Cole-Adeife, consultant physician and dermatologist at LASUTH (Lagos State University Teaching Hospital), Nigeria, underscores the significance of this moment. “This historic step will be positively pivotal for skin healthcare worldwide,” she says. “Skin diseases, though often overlooked, carry immense morbidity, stigma, and socioeconomic burden, particularly in LMICs (low and middle income countries).”
Drawing from her public health experience, Dr. Cole-Adeife emphasises, “This resolution opens the door for greater attention to skin health in national health agendas, better funding for dermatologic services, capacity-building for healthcare workers, and integration of skin health into primary care. It is a call to action for governments, global health partners, and all of us in the skin health space to treat skin not as superficial, but as fundamental to well-being.”
She adds that the ripple effect of this resolution must extend globally. “It compels us to ask why so many common skin conditions still go untreated, why dermatology training remains limited in frontline health systems, and why stigma persists, particularly for diseases visible on darker skin tones. In countries such as India and Africa, where the burden of pigmentary disorders, fungal infections, and neglected skin diseases is immense, this resolution is an opportunity to push for better access, culturally competent care, and research that reflects diverse skin types. It’s time we reframed skin health as a public health issue, one that is both urgent and universal.”
The regional reality: South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
The significance of this resolution is being deeply felt across South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa – regions represented by Rashmi Sarkar, Regional Director of the ILDS. She is one of the leading voices in pigmentary disorders and global dermatology policy. She explains that historically, healthcare funding has traditionally prioritised chronic diseases of internal organs, often overlooking skin health, despite its significant physical, psychological, and economic impact.
“Skin diseases are deeply tied to a person’s self-esteem and financial opportunities,” Dr. Sarkar notes. “Stigma around visible conditions including vitiligo, psoriasis, or chronic infections leads to exclusion not just from medical care, but from employment and society itself.”
She sees the resolution as a pivotal tool to correct these disparities. “We’re calling on all stakeholders such as governments, NGOs, medical institutions, and patient support groups to come together. We need funding for research, national registries to map disease burden, and the integration of skin health into primary care teaching and services.”
What are the pressing challenges?
In the regions Dr. Sarkar represents, chronic inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis coexist with neglected skin diseases such as leprosy and scabies – many of which are still misunderstood and stigmatised. “This resolution creates an opportunity to fund medicines, include dermatologic care under insurance, and build public health programmes that recognise skin as central to quality of life,” she says.
She also stresses the importance of ongoing advocacy. “In India and other LMICs, we must publicise this resolution, observe disease-specific awareness days, and engage Ministries of health, NGOs, and local networks. That’s how we build momentum.”
What might change?
This resolution unlocks a range of potential shifts in health policy and funding. It paves the way for the integration of skin disease care into primary health systems, more inclusive research funding particularly for conditions affecting skin of colour and neglected tropical diseases, and improved access to dermatologic medications, including coverage under public insurance schemes. It also supports the development of national registries to track the burden of skin diseases and prioritises capacity-building among frontline healthcare providers. Crucially, it fosters efforts to reduce stigma and expand patient support systems. As Dr. Sarkar emphasises, “It could transform dermatologic training and infrastructure in under-resourced settings, while also dismantling the shame that so often accompanies visible skin conditions.”
For India, the WHO resolution arrives at a crucial time. With one of the highest dermatologic disease burdens globally from chronic inflammatory conditions to fungal infections and pigmentary disorders, India stands to benefit immensely from global recognition and domestic reform. This is a chance to integrate skin care into public health infrastructure, strengthen research on skin of colour, expand dermatology training at the primary care level, and advocate for insurance inclusion for conditions that affect not just skin but lives. As Dr. Sarkar puts it, “This is our moment to reshape how skin diseases are understood, prioritised, and treated.”
A milestone, not a finish line
This resolution is not the final word, it is the beginning of a long-overdue conversation. It validates the lived reality of billions, and provides a framework for governments, clinicians, and communities to take action.
Because skin health is not superficial. It is visible, vulnerable, and vital. And finally, it is being seen.
(Dr. Monisha Madhumita is a consultant dermatologist at Saveetha Medical College, Chennai. mail.monisha.m@gmail.com)
Published – June 16, 2025 03:08 pm IST
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