Over 70 mn Indians afflicted with rare diseases

The Foundation for Research on Rare Diseases and Disorders pegs the number of patients in India afflicted with one of more than 7,000 rare diseases at over 70 million.

Attempting to make rare diseases in India diagnosable and treatable, the Organisation for Rare Diseases India (ORDI), an initiative by doctors, organisations and government bodies, was launched Tuesday.

There is a genetic origin for at least 80 percent of rare diseases, and in 50 percent of cases the onset occurs in childhood. Rare diseases also include rare cancers, autoimmune diseases, congenital malformations and infectious diseases,” said Vijay Chandru, founder member,ORDI.

He added that since a majority of these diseases lack proper diagnosis, ORDI will empower the patients and their families by providing access to national and international resources to ensure a good quality of life.

This would also mean the development and delivery of affordable