Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed Funds $2.4 Million Life-Saving Treatment for Jordanian Toddler with SMA

A Jordanian mother's desperate plea to save her toddler has been answered by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who has generously agreed to cover the full medical treatment cost for Katia Abu Al Saud.

The Dubai Media Office announced that little Katia will receive her much-needed care at Al Jalila Children's Hospital in the emirate. Currently 16 months old, Katia suffers from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic disorder that affects nerve cells in the spinal cord. According to the hospital, the toddler is still in Jordan, and further updates will be provided once the family arrives in the UAE.

Katia's mother, Nour Roudnahal, had previously launched an online fundraising campaign and appealed for assistance on social media after documenting her daughter's harrowing struggle with the condition. At six months old, a routine check-up first revealed that Katia's movements differed from typical infants. Subsequent medical tests confirmed the SMA diagnosis, leading the family to pursue physiotherapy and medication.

Despite their efforts, Ms Roudnahal noted that there was no cure available in Jordan, and that a vital gene-therapy drug called Zolgensma—priced at up to $2.4 million—was unaffordable for the family. The online fundraising campaign received widespread support, with donations collected and transferred to a US account. Now, Sheikh Mohammed's intervention has brought renewed hope to the family.

Doctors in the UAE have successfully administered Zolgensma to children with SMA for several years. The one-off intravenous infusion replaces faulty or missing SMN1 genes and is primarily used for children under two. Furthermore, UAE regulators have approved Itvisma, enabling gene therapy for older children, teenagers, and adults.

Ms Roudnahal shared redacted medical reports confirming that Katia exhibits symptoms consistent with SMA type 2, a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive weakness. Sheikh Mohammed has a long-standing history of funding life-saving treatments for children, having previously aided Iraqi toddler Laveen Jabbar Al Kutyashi, a Syrian girl with SMA, and 15-year-old Fatima Ahmed Hassan through the Al Jalila Foundation.