Allergy Care Is Essential Care

LISBON, Portugal, June 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Allergy Organization (WAO) has launched its annual World Allergy Week campaign, from 21-27 June, to raise awareness of allergic diseases as a global health priority.

Because of increasing prevalence and severity of allergic diseases worldwide, along with a lack of resources and life-saving treatments in many parts of the world, the campaign stresses that allergy care resources should be accessible for everyone.

Millions of people worldwide live with chronic, acute, or severe asthma, food allergy, anaphylaxis, eczema, rhinitis, eosinophilic disorders, drug allergy, and many others. According to Mário Morais-Almeida, MD, of CUF Descobertas Hospital in Lisbon, and WAO President, "These diseases require specialized care by trained allergy specialists – to diagnose complex immune-driven diseases, personalize treatment plans, and bring clarity where there can be confusion."

Some of the barriers to accessing appropriate care include misdiagnosis, under-treatment, and health inequities, according to Elham Hossny, MD, PhD, of Ain Shams University Children's Hospital in Cairo, and Chair of World Allergy Week 2026. "In most countries, allergy specialists are under-recognized and underfunded. In many regions, especially low- and middle-income countries, the specialty does not even exist. Patients everywhere deserve to have restored control, dignity, and good quality of life."

The campaign emphasizes the critical work of allergy specialists, which reduces unnecessary procedures and risks, avoids emergency room visits, improves school and work attendance, and guides appropriate use of old, new, and advanced therapies. Allergy care reduces unnecessary costs to health systems for repeated visits, incorrect treatments, and preventable complications.

In a Call to Action to decision-makers, Dr. Morais-Almeida emphasizes that ensuring access to allergy care, and thus immune health, requires a system-wide commitment:

1. Make allergy a core health priority in national and global agendas.
2. Train more allergy specialists; integrate them across all levels of care.
3. Ensure access to allergy diagnostics, treatments, and adrenaline delivery methods.
4. Track allergy prevalence, burden, and service gaps.
5. Promote public awareness and health literacy on allergy everywhere.

A free webinar will take place on 23 June 2026 at 13:00 UTC highlighting how allergists/immunologists are helping their allergic patients manage the impact of climate changes on their health. Details are available at www.WorldAllergyWeek.org.

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SOURCE World Allergy Organization