KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 -- Rare diseases affect only a small number of people, but for those living with them in Malaysia, the struggle is real and often overlooked.

Although rare diseases affect fewer than one in 4,000 people, these conditions are enigmatic and often not fully understood.

As of 2020, Malaysia has documented 491 rare diseases. However, a thorough understanding remains elusive due to limited epidemiological data.

Here's what we know about the rare disease landscape in Malaysia.

Understanding rare diseases

Rare diseases, by definition, are health conditions that affect a small fraction of the population.

They often present with various symptoms that not only differ from one disease to another but also within the same c...