The president of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, presented this Friday the new Care Plan for People Affected by Rare Diseases, an initiative by the Andalusian Government that will have an investment of more than 8.5 million euros until 2029 to improve healthcare and social care for those living with rare pathologies in the autonomous community.
As Moreno detailed at the event held at the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital in Seville, the renewed plan—which replaces the previous 2008 program—incorporates new tests for early diagnosis, multidisciplinary consultations, and a comprehensive approach to care. The initiative seeks to address the specific needs of patients, not only in the healthcare sphere but also in social, educational, and employment inclusion aspects.
Moreno has highlighted that, in addition to reinforcing the resources available to healthcare professionals, the plan aims to make rare diseases visible and raise awareness throughout society about the reality of nearly half a million Andalusians affected. He has underscored the importance of these pathologies being treated with the highest quality of life and empathy, and has insisted that this plan represents a comprehensive and humane approach to a problem that has traditionally lacked sufficient attention.
The program will include the consolidation of specialized units and reference centers, the reinforcement of screening and early detection programs, as well as continuous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that will allow monitoring the effectiveness of the implemented measures with the collaboration of patient associations.
The approval and presentation of this plan comes after more than a decade without updating the regional strategy on this matter, and has been positively valued by entities such as the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases (FEDER), which hopes that 2026 will be the year of its real and effective implementation