Parents seek aid for treating comorbid child

Ahmer is first patient diagnosed with heamophilia and a heart disease in Pakistan

The parents of 17-month-old Muhammad Ahmer, who is the first patient in Pakistan diagnosed with heamophilia and heart disease, appealed to philanthropists on Tuesday to extend financial support for their child's treatment.

Ahmer, besides having haemophilia B suffers from a complex congenital heart disease, Tetrology of Fellot (TOF).

While TOF was detected at the time of his birth, haemophilia was diagnosed three months later.

He is an only child, too precious for his parents to loose. They, however, find themselves helpless, given their limited resources.

Though, not losing hope, they, along with doctors and representatives of the Haemophilia Welfare Society, held a press conference to appeal for help.

Speaking on the occasion, the infant's mother, Suman Afif said her son had four heart defects and doctors had suggested conducting a surgery in three stages as part of the treatment. She appealed for help, saying that all the money they had was already spent on Ahmer's treatment.

According to Haemophilia Welfare Society president Raheel Ahmed said that total cost of the treatment would add up to around Rs125 million, of which Rs14 million was to be spent on for anti-haemophilia factor 9 injections.

"We have already provided them anti-haemophilia factor 9 injections worth Rs2 million," he added.

Dr Muneera Burhani, a hematologist at National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation Centre Karachi, said the affected child needed a hospital where an expert medical team, including senior haematologist and cardiac surgeon as well as lab experts, was available for treatment0 during the operation and that it would be a big challenge to stop bleeding after the surgery.

She said the comorbidity posed a high risk to Ahmer's life.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2020.