Many children have died from a rare and complex congenital spinal disease all over the world caused by genetic factors named spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
SMA is a genetic condition that makes the muscles weaker and causes problems with movement. Children affected by this disease cannot sit or stand. Patients die mostly because of respiratory tract infections and complications in the disease.
Amid the absence of treatment for the disease for a century, a multinational pharmaceutical company, Novartis, has developed a completely curable gene therapy to treat spinal muscular atrophy in children less than 2 years of age. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also approved the therapy.
The National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital is going to provide the gene therapy for the first time in Bangladesh to a child who is suffering from SMA.
The hospital authority on Monday said they have arranged the expensive therapy under a global project as the therapy requires Tk 20 million to treat a patient.
This therapy will be given to the child on Tuesday, said the ministry.
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has assisted the initiative, according to the health ministry.
