Maharashtra: One-yr-old girl who received injection worth Rs 16 crore for rare genetic condition dies

PUNE: A one-year-old girl's fight against a rare genetic disorder, which had evoked an outpouring of sympathy as well as donations so that doctors could administer her an injection worth Rs 16 crore in a Pune hospital, ended abruptly, her father said on Monday.

Shockingly hours before the death of Vedika Shinde, her family members had uploaded photographs and videos on social media informing about her progress.

Vedika, suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type I, died around 6 pm on Sunday at a private hospital in Bhosari in the Pimpri Chinchwad area after experiencing breathing trouble while she was at home.

Her rare ailment and the quest for treatment had created a huge impact on social media with netizens and others donating an amount of Rs 14 crore, following which she was administered the vital injection in Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital here in June.

According to Vedika's kin, her condition was improving of late and some hours before her death, they had even uploaded a couple of photographs and videos on social media to inform about her progress.

A doctor who had earlier treated her at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital said Vedika died due to "feed aspiration", a medical term for an irregularity arising in the feeding process.