Kerala raises Rs 18 crore in six days to purchase a single drug for a child with rare disease.
In a major crowd-funding initiative, a whopping Rs 18 crore was raised in just six days to purchase a medicine for the treatment of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy in Kannur, Kerala. Muhammed, the son of Rafeek and Mariyumma of Mattoor in Kannur, has a rare condition called spinal muscular atrophy, which causes muscle degeneration.
After his plight was widely shared on social media, aid for Muhammed came from Keralites living all over the world. M Vijin, the local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), stated that no additional funds were required for the youngster’s treatment and asked well-wishers to stop transferring funds to the family’s bank accounts.
Expensive medicine for a rare disease
“The special drug needed for Muhammed’s treatment will be available soon,” the MLA said. The medicine, Zolgensma, is only available in other countries, and the costs of bringing it to India are estimated to be around Rs 18 crore. It is regarded as the most expensive drug in the world.
Muhammed has an older sister, Afra, who also has spinal muscular atrophy and has been in a wheelchair for the past 14 years. Doctors believe that if Muhammed is given Zolgensma before the age of two, he will be able to recover from his crippling condition.
