Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Telangana government to file an affidavit explaining its inability to extend medical aid for a girl child suffering from a rare pediatric disease known as ‘Gaucher’.
Justice Suresh Kumar Kait was dealing with a petition by Syyeda Abidha (the child) of Khammam district in seeking to declare the action of the government and its authorities including Nizams Institute of Health Sciences in not providing medical treatment of ?Enzyme Replacement Therapy? (ERT) with recombinant imiglucerase enzyme called Cerezyme to heal her "Gaucher" disease, as unjust and unconstitutional .
The counsel for the petitioner told the court that the child was suffering from a liver disorder which required a unique blood transfusion twice a month and she had been moving between Niloufer and NIMS for the treatment.
The counsel alleged that the NIMS administration had not showed interest in treating the child and the state government had also stated that the treatment was extremely expensive and it was not for the government to treat such expensive medical diseases, especially when a success rate was dismal. Wondering at the stance of the government, the judge directed it to file an affidavit explaining its financial inability.
