Calicut, 24-11-2022: A two-year-old Pakistani boy with rare and extremely severe genetic disease called Severe Combined Immune Deficiency was given a life again by doctors at Aster MIMS, Calicut. The medical fraternity had earlier announced that the baby might not survive no matter where he was taken to, but Aster MIMS, Calicut gifted him a new lease of life by performing a rare bone marrow transplant. Saif Jalal, son of Jalal and Saduri from Balochistan, Pakistan reached Aster MIMS, Kerala realising that the treatments he underwent in UAE were unsuccessful.
A few months after his diagnosis, Saif was moved to UAE where his father works, to seek better treatment for him. Despite undergoing treatments including chemotherapy, the baby's health condition worsened. The baby, whose immune system had completely collapsed was plagued by constant infections. Gradually the infection in the lungs worsened and the oxygen level dropped. It is generally predicted that these infected babies will die within two to three years without the most appropriate treatment. Saif was also expecting a similar end but not to be.
It was during one of the medical interventions that the father heard about a possible treatment at Aster MIMS and the successful story of patients who had recovered after seeking treatment at Aster MIMS, Jalal and Saduri decided to come to Kerala, India. Everyone including Shri. V. Muraleedharan's (Hon. Minister of State for External Affairs of India) sincere efforts for the travel and medical arrangements for the family made it a reality. Saif’s condition was so serious that he had to be flown to Kerala with oxygen support.
Dr. Kesavan, Senior Pediatric Hemato-oncologist at Aster MIMS had concluded that bone marrow transplant is the only cure for his condition. Fortunately, the mother's HLA was full match with the baby. With constant care, other health issues of the baby were addressed and the bone marrow transplant was performed under high risk as the life saving measure. Now, two months have passed post transplant. Saif has recovered well and has overcome his respiratory issues and other complications. It is now time for Saif Jalal's family to return home to Pakistan.
"This transplant is special because it is the 75th successful bone marrow transplant performed at Aster MIMS, Calicut in two years," said Dr. Kesavan - Senior Pediatric Hematologist, Aster MIMS, Calicut. "This great milestone also marks the performance of 35 successful Adult Bone Marrow Transplants which were performed in patients some as old as 65 years of age and that too at a much affordable cost." Dr. Sudeep V. - Clinical Hematologist and Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Physician
"Aster MIMS performs this expensive treatment method at the lowest possible cost. Moreover, Aster MIMS maintains the highest rate of treatment success in the country," said Farhan Yasin, Regional Director, Aster Hospitals, Kerala and Oman Cluster.
Farhan Yasin, Regional Director, Aster Hospitals, Kerala and Oman Cluster, Doctors from Aster MIMS Calicut such as Dr. Suresh Kumar E. K (Head- Pediatrics) Dr. Kesavan (Senior Pediatric Hematologist), Dr. Sudeep. V (Clinical Hematologist and Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Physician), Dr. K. V Gangadharan (Senior Consultant & Head - Medical Oncology), Jalal - Saif’s father, Lukman Ponmadath, Chief Operating Officer and Sr Princy (Senior Nurse - BMT Unit attended the press conference.
