United for rare diseases: the ÚNICAS project

Today, on Rare Disease Day, we come together to raise awareness of more than 7,000 rare diseases worldwide, which affect approximately 7% of the global population.

The ÚNICAS project is working to improve comprehensive care for paediatric patients with complex rare diseases.

ÚNICAS is a project of the Ministry of Health, included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU funds. Its aim is to create an ecosystem of partnerships to enhance the response of the National Health Service to patients with complex rare diseases throughout their entire care journey. To achieve this, a technological and healthcare network will be established, with at least one node in each autonomous community, integrating 30 hospitals to meet the needs of patients, caregivers, and professionals.

Catalonia leads the design, development, and technological integration of the project, with Hospital Sant Joan de Déu providing functional leadership and the TIC Salut Social Foundation leading on the technological front.

Digitalisation, collaboration between institutions, and equitable access to healthcare are key to transforming the health landscape in our country. Today, more than ever, is the time to act.