Johannesburg – In a nation already battling high rates of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression, psoriasis has become the overlooked domino.
Studies now show that psoriasis, often mistaken for a surface-level problem, is silently impacting many other organs, too.
On World Psoriasis Day (29 October 2025), PsorAfrica, a regional advocacy and patient-support organisation dedicated to improving the lives of millions of people living with the skin disease, is calling for the inclusion of psoriatic disease on the national health agenda.
The hidden domino in the NCD crisis
Psoriasis is a lifelong autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks itself, creating painful, itchy, inflamed patches on the skin.
But research now shows that this inflammation spreads far beyond the skin, affecting the joints, the heart, metabolism and mental health.
South African studies published in the International Journal of Dermatology and South African General Practitioner Review confirm that local patients with psoriasis show a high burden of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, diabetes and hypertension – mirroring the country’s top health killers.
“We often focus on the visible plaques and forget the invisible inflammation,” says Veronica Mitchell, Secretary of the South African Psoriasis Association.
“That inflammation can travel to other organs, and that’s where the domino effect begins.
“When we treat psoriasis early, we are preventing the next domino from falling. South Africa cannot afford to ignore an inflammatory disease that quietly fuels the same chronic conditions already crippling our healthcare system.”
The reality for patients
For Junaid Baig, a Cape Town entrepreneur and law-firm manager, the diagnosis at age 14 marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of pain and resilience. It affected his productivity and quality of life.
After decades of flare-ups, experimental treatments, and stigma, Baig found strength in the community.
“Every flare-up has been a reminder to me to learn to stand tall in my own skin, even when the world doesn’t understand what I’m going through,” says Baig.
He says having family and support groups who truly understand the condition makes all the difference.
“We aren’t looking for sympathy. What we need is dignity, understanding, and access to quality medical treatment.
A call for integrated care
PsorAfrica is urging South Africa’s Department of Health to:
• Recognise psoriasis as part of the country’s NCD burden.
• Provide equitable access to dermatological and mental-health services.
• Train primary healthcare providers to spot and treat psoriasis early.
• Fund public awareness and support programmes to fight stigma and isolation.
The SA Psoriasis Association is encouraging South Africans to join the conversation by sharing their stories using #StopTheDominoEffect and #WorldPsoriasisDaySA.
The organisation is hosting community dialogues in Durban, Pretoria, and Cape Town in November, where experts will be on hand to answer any psoriasis-related questions.
