Kozhikode: Yet another young patient afflicted by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is badly in need of an expensive medicine.

The doctors of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital directed the parents of Ivan to immediately provide gene therapy to the boy, who is 1 year and nine months old. The medicine (Zolgensma Onasemnogene), which has to be imported, would cost around Rs 18 crore. This is one of the most expensive medicines in the world.

The boy's parents Naufal and Jasmine can't arrange the money on their own. Naufal, a native of Palieri at Perambra in Kozhikode, had returned home from the Gulf after losing his job as a driver amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, local residents are joining hands to raise money for Ivan's treatment. A committee has been formed to raise money with Changaroth panchayat president Unni Vengeri as its chairman, K Siddique Thangal as the convenor, and C H Ibrahim Kutty as the treasurer.

T P Ramakrishnan, the Perambra legislator, also said that efforts are on to raise the money with the help of kind souls.

Meanwhile, Little Ivan wants to walk. Holding on to his parents hands, Ivan can barely take a few steps before he has to sit down due to unbearable pain.

An account has been opened at the Federal Bank, Kuttiady branch. Account number: 20470200002625 (IFSC: FDRL0002047). Google Pay Number: 7034375534 (Jasmine N M).