By Khushboo JainNearly 450 rare diseases recorded in India affect over 70 million people. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) rare diseases are those with a prevalence of 1 in 1000 people or less. Among those, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 - a rare disease found in toddlers and younger children has been prevalent in recent years. SMA Type 1 cases can be diagnosed right at birth. Moreover, while medical loans or insurance could be viable options in certain cases, very few insurance policies include coverage for rare diseases.

Source: Economic Times June 15, 2021 08:32 UTC