Rare diseases are individually uncommon but collectively represent a major global health challenge. Affecting more than 300 million people worldwide, these conditions often go undiagnosed for years and leave patients and families navigating fragmented systems of care with limited treatment options. Despite their rarity, the global economic burden of rare diseases costs between $7.2 and $8.6 trillion annually, reflecting not only medical costs but lost productivity, disability, and the long-term strain on families and health care systems.
Momentum to address this challenge is growing. In May 2025, Egypt led the World Health Assembly to adopt a landmark resolution on rare diseases, recognizing them as a global public health priority and calling on countries to integrate rare disease care into national health strategies and support the development of a World Health Organization Global Action Plan. But translating this political promise into real progress for patients remains a difficult task. Governments must now grapple with how to design national rare disease plans, mobilize sustainable financing, and embed care pathways within broader health systems rather than creating fragmented parallel programs.
On the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly, Foreign Policy, with financial support from AstraZeneca, will convene a public event to take stock of progress one year after the resolution and examine priorities for the next phase of global action.
The Egyptian Ministry of Health, which played a central role in advancing the rare diseases resolution, is an honorary co-host of this event.
Event Details
May 18th, 2026
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. CET
Doors will open for registration at 6:00 p.m. CET
Paris Room, InterContinental Genève
7, Chem. du Petit-Saconnex 9,
1209 Geneva, Switzerland
