Unable to pay Rs 1.8m, father of 8-year-old keeps hope alive

Only a month ago, eight-year-old Owais – a student of class I – stood upright and played and lived a normal, healthy life. All of a sudden, he was bedridden as blue spots started appearing on his body and he could not take a single step. His parents were in for a shock when they took Owais to a doctor. The minor boy was declared to have aplastic anemia and Rs 1.8 million were needed for his treatment – a bone marrow transplant.
A teacher by profession, Owais’ father could not afford the expense. A person, who educated children of others for a successful future, is himself facing an uncertain future as his own son fights the war of life against death. Aplastic anemia is a condition in which the bone marrow of the patient does not produce sufficient new blood cells to replenish the old, dying cells. The only potential cure of aplastic anemia is a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor but is very expensive. However, as the body is not able to sustain the number of blood cells, the patient has to get blood transfused daily until the bone marrow transplant is carried out.
A few years ago, some private hospitals in Pakistan had initiated bone marrow transplant procedures but the treatment requires at least Rs 1.5 million with sometimes the total expenses exceeding Rs 5 million. Father of Owais, Saleem Akhtar is a mathematics teacher at a private school and earns Rs 17,000 per month. He also has two more children and resides in a rented house. Arranging the said amount as told by doctors for Owais’ treatment is next to impossible for him.
Talking with Pakistan Today, Akhtar said the daily infusion of blood and medication of his son was costing him at least Rs 8,000. Blood samples from Owais’ siblings have been sent for bone marrow matching and the transplant may be carried out after the result; however, “the real problem is arranging this huge amount,” Akhtar said. He asked the government and the philanthropists to help him save the life of his son. “I request the government and those who care to help me as I am unable to arrange Rs 1.8 million.”
Owais’ mother Shazia said a month ago, her son was healthy and went to school as any other normal child. “I cannot live without my child as he is my life,” she said crying. Owais had been initially taken to the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) where the whole story unfolded. After a few days, the boy got severely ill and his lower body almost stopped working. The doctors at NICH advised Owais’ parents to take him to the National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation (NIBD) as there are no facilities for bone marrow transplantation at the NICH. On Saturday, the child was taken to the NIBD. His condition improved considerably after treatment and infusion of blood; however, he was still unable to move on his own. With new bone marrow the only cure available, the daily infusion of blood keeps the boy alive until transplant – but the clock is ticking.