Tunisian Association for Coeliac Disease Organizes Awareness Day on May 23, 2026
The Tunisian Association for Coeliac Disease is organizing an awareness day on Saturday, May 23, 2026, to raise awareness about coeliac disease. The event will take place on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, in La Marsa's Corniche (Tunis Governorate).
This initiative is part of the celebration of World Coeliac Disease Day, observed on May 18 every year. The goal is to educate the general public about the disease, its symptoms, and ways to live with it.
The awareness day aims to communicate with patients and their families, and to call on industries to provide gluten-free products. It also aims to raise awareness among citizens about the severity of the disease, which affects between 75,000 and 100,000 Tunisians.
The president of the Tunisian Association for Coeliac Disease, Mongi Ben Hariz, has called on responsible authorities to quickly activate the estimated monthly allocation of 130 dinars for coeliac patients registered in the "Amen Social" social security system. He believes that this measure would be a step forward in recognizing the rights of patients and their families, while helping them cope with the high costs of buying gluten-free food products.
Founded in 2003, the Tunisian Association for Coeliac Disease has been working through various events to raise awareness about the disease and its common symptoms. The association also highlights the main obstacles faced by people with coeliac disease in Tunisia, including the high cost and scarcity of gluten-free food products. Additionally, the association discusses aid programs for needy families, medical consultations, and facilitating a healthy coexistence with the disease through a strict gluten-free diet.
The only existing treatment for coeliac disease is a completely gluten-free diet.
Symptoms of the disease include chronic diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain and bloating, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, weight loss, joint pain, osteoporosis, and delayed growth in children.
Key Statistics:
- Between 75,000 and 100,000 Tunisians are affected by coeliac disease.
- The only existing treatment for coeliac disease is a completely gluten-free diet.
- The disease can cause a range of symptoms, including chronic diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain and bloating, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, weight loss, joint pain, osteoporosis, and delayed growth in children.
