BENGALURU: That disease and treatment transcend international borders and ongoing or past rivalries was showcased here once again with a two-year-old girl from Karachi, Pakistan, being treated for a rare, potentially fatal condition called Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I). The little girl, Amyra, happens to be the daughter of former Pakistan cricketer Sikander Bakht — who later turned commentator — most remembered for routing the India side under Sunil Gavaskar in the 1979 Delhi Test.
In fact, it was Sikander who donated his bone marrow to save his little daughter through bone marrow transplant (BMT). The treatment and procedures were carried out at Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, and the girl is on her way to recovery, four months post the procedures. MPS-I is a rare disease which causes lack of lysosomal alpha- L-iduronidase enzymes which break down long chains of sugar molecules, called glycosaminoglycans.
This results in the sugar molecules building up in different organs of the body, including the brain and the eyes to cause various fatal health problems, including its harmful impacts on the brain and eyes. Amyra was just 18-monthsold when the condition was diagnosed, said her mother Sadaf Khan. The toddler initially had only a recurring ear infection and nothing else. It was only through consultations with various doctors to find out the reason for her persisting problem, that she was detected with bone density issue, which finally led to diagnosing it as MPS-1.
“It came as a shock to us that our daughter was diagnosed with MPS-1. We were not aware of this condition. It took immense research to be able to understand it and find suitable healthcare professionals,” Sadaf said, explaining how they landed up at Narayana Health City. Amyra’s family is now happy that her condition could be diagnosed early. Sadaf urged awareness to be created among people on such conditions and make diagnosis and treatment more accessible. Having undergone the experience of her child affected by MPS-1, Sadaf suggested that parents ensure that their children undergo diagnostic treatment at an early stage as it would help increase the life span of the child despite the condition not having a complete cure as yet.