Background and Motivation
- The initiative is driven by the group "Friends of Lupus" and supported by The Rheumatology Educational Trust Foundation, Inc. (RETFI).
- RETFI established the LUISA (LUpus InSpired Advocacy) Project.
- The LUISA Project's purposes include developing and supporting a national lupus registry and studying genetic, environmental, and socio-cultural factors affecting lupus.
Nature and Impact of Lupus
- Lupus is defined as an autoimmune disease affecting multiple organ systems.
- The disease can become chronic, complicated, and disabling.
- Approximately 75% of lupus patients experience abnormalities in vital organs including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain.
Demographics and Prevalence
- Lupus primarily affects women in their childbearing years, between ages 15 to 45.
- Women are affected at a rate ten times higher than men within the same age group.
Socioeconomic Consequences
- Lupus patients have a higher likelihood of hospitalization (32% in one year).
- Work non-participation rate among lupus patients is 66%, compared to 38% in the general population.
- The disease imposes a heavy economic and productivity burden on patients and their families during the most productive years of their lives.
Advocacy for Prevention and Treatment
- The proclamation emphasizes the need for robust strategies for prevention, treatment, and chronic care management of lupus and related disorders.
- It calls for the dynamic pursuit of measures to mitigate the disease and its economic impact.
Legal Effect and Execution
- The proclamation is signed by the President and the Executive Secretary of the Philippines.
- The seal of the Republic of the Philippines is affixed, giving the declaration formal and binding effect.