An incredible story of recovery has emerged as a two-month-old Pakistani girl in Abu Dhabi successfully underwent an emergency bone marrow transplant to combat a rare, severe immune disorder.
Ayra was in critical condition when she arrived at Yas Clinic Khalifa City after weeks of care at another hospital. She was dependent on a ventilator, suffering from severe and recurrent chest and bloodstream infections despite intensive treatment.
Tests identified a congenital immunodeficiency, a rare condition where babies lack the ability to fight infections, as the cause of her repeated illnesses. Her parents shared that they had previously lost a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter to a similar, undiagnosed condition.
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Upon reaching Abu Dhabi, Ayra was battling three concurrent infections, needed medications to stabilize her blood pressure, and was showing signs of organ stress.
Doctors discovered her father was a perfect HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) match, suitable for bone marrow donation. However, Ayra was too ill for the standard chemotherapy preparation for a transplant.
Dr. Mansi Sachdev, leading the clinical team in Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, highlighted the urgency, stating that the only option to save her was an immediate bone marrow transplant. “Due to her critical state, chemotherapy was not possible. We relied wholly on her father’s healthy cells to combat the infections,” she explained.
The high-risk procedure, executed without typical preparation, was the sole feasible solution.
Two months post-transplant, doctors report that Ayra is breathing independently, feeding well, and expected to go home soon, with all three viral infections cleared.
Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, chief medical officer, emphasized the significance of early diagnosis and coordinated specialist care, stating that the child’s progress underscores what timely intervention and comprehensive management can achieve in extremely delicate situations.
