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ILDS and WHO join forces to widen access to global skin health education

26 Mar 2026

The International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) has launched a free online learning platform designed to expand access to dermatology education worldwide.

Professor Daudi R Mavura

“By providing the latest clinical content free of charge and enabling health workers to access it at a time that suits them, the ILDS Dermatology Training Hub is a valuable new tool to build the skills of the global healthcare workforce in tackling skin diseases.” Prof Daudi R Mavura, Principal of the IFD-supported Regional Dermatology Training Centre, in Moshi, Tanzania

The platform, called the ILDS Dermatology Training Hub, was created in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). It provides practical, expert-led courses for frontline health workers, aimed at improving the prevention, identification and management of common skin conditions and skin neglected tropical diseases affecting people in all regions of the world.

According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, skin diseases are among the ten leading causes of disability globally. Despite this, they are often overlooked in health policy and funding decisions, making them an under-recognised public health challenge that affects more than four billion people worldwide.

Visit the ILDS Skin Health Training Hub

Access to specialist dermatology care also remains highly uneven. In some parts of the world there is fewer than one dermatologist per million people, leaving many patients without access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

The ILDS Dermatology Training Hub will address this gap by making regionally relevant, high-quality dermatology education freely available online. It builds on the WHO’s own resources which include more than 60 skin-related courses in English and ten other languages. More than 70,000 learners worldwide have already enrolled for the WHO’s courses.

Dr Claire Fuller, Chair of the International Foundation for Dermatology (IFD), an initiative launched by the ILDS to bring dermatological care and training to resource-limited settings, said:

Claire Fuller_Headshot

“Since the adoption of the 2025 World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution recognising skin diseases as a global public health priority, we’ve been working with the skin health community around the world to help transform access to skin health services. Providing better training and education is essential to improving diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes. The ILDS Dermatology Training Hub will play an important role in equipping frontline health workers with key skills and up-to-date clinical knowledge. In doing so, it will help build health system capacity and support better patient care globally.” Dr Claire Fuller

Dr José Antonio Ruiz Postigo, Medical Officer in the Skin Diseases: Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Care Unit at the WHO, said:

Dr José Antonio Ruiz Postigo

“The WHA skin diseases resolution calls on Member States to strengthen community-based education on the management of skin diseases for the health workforce in primary care. It also highlights the importance of self-care education, where appropriate, for patients and their families, empowering them with the skills to improve long-term outcomes. With the launch of the ILDS Dermatology Training Hub, the ILDS and the WHO are jointly responding to this call. We’re delighted to see it go live.” Dr José Antonio Ruiz Postigo

ILDS President, Prof Henry W. Lim said:

Henry Lim_Headshot

“The launch of the ILDS Dermatology Training Hub supports our mission to improve global skin health through education, training and knowledge sharing. As a holder of ‘official relations’ with the WHO, we were delighted to work with them on this exciting project. “We’re grateful to our partners – the IFD, GLODERM, IACS and more than 100 disease experts in the WHO network who have contributed courses and content for this important new resource.” Prof Henry W. Lim