The future of seven-year-old Savara Gididhar is uncertain. He has been diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a type of blood cancer. In this condition, the body stops producing enough new blood cells (RBC). It has become a race against time for him. Patients suffering from it are always feel fatigued with a high risk of infection and controlled bleeding.
The fate of the child is marred by bureaucratic wrangles, of which the government should pay for the bone marrow transplantation which will cost a minimum of ₹25 lakh.
Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, has come forward to perform the operation needed to save the child’s life.
CMC Haematology Department head Biju George says the best option for the child was allogeneic peripheral blood steam cell transplant (PBSCT), bone marrow transplantation in layman’s term. But in the case of Gididhar this was not possible because he does not have a sibling to be a matching donor.
The next best option was a haploidentical stem cell transplant, bone marrow transplantation, from one of his parents.
Dr. George has put out an general appeal from donors to donate for the cause of saving the child’s life.
SAPTHA (Support and Awareness for People with Thalassemia) chairman V. Sarath Babu told The Hindu that the Tribal Welfare Department should pay for the bone marrow transplant. SAPTHA arranges bone marrow transplantation for Thalassemia children on a regular basis.
Tribal Welfare Department official D.N. Murthy, when contacted by The Hindu, said that Gididhar’s case had been referred to the ITDA Project Officer in Srikakulam, the district to which the child belonged.
Mr. Babu, who is pursuing the case, said that the ITDA had asked the boy’s parents to apply to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund as the agency had no funds to spare.
Meanwhile the health of the child was deteriorating rapidly, Mr. Babu said.