Polish neurological and rare disease healthcare challenges

Medical experts and patient advocates in Poland are highlighting systemic gaps in the management of neurological and rare diseases. Neurologists from the Polish Neurological Society have called for an integrated stroke care system to address the approximately 90,000 annual cases in the country. They noted that the lack of continuity between emergency services, modern therapies, and rehabilitation leads to high rates of disability and death, particularly as the condition increasingly affects younger populations.

In parallel, health summits have addressed diagnostic delays for rare diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. Stanisław Maćkowiak, president of the Polish Patients Federation, reported that it takes an average of five years to diagnose a rare disease, citing a need for better referral pathways from primary care to specialized centers. Regarding Alzheimer’s disease, experts noted that while the number of affected individuals is projected to grow significantly by 2050, only about 20 percent of patients receive an early diagnosis, leaving the vast majority of caregiving responsibilities to families without sufficient systemic support.