UAE Doctors Save Baby Boy with Rare Genetic Disease After Successful Stem Cell Transplant

A Pakistani couple who tragically lost their six-month-old daughter, Hamda, to pneumonia in Oman in 2023 have found renewed hope after their second child successfully underwent a life-saving bone marrow transplant in the UAE.

Shayan Arif, 35, and his wife Noor ul Ain Khan, 29, relocated to the UAE shortly after their daughter's death when Mr Arif was transferred for work in information technology. Their son, Hamdan, was born in Sharjah in April 2025 following a normal pregnancy and appeared healthy during his first five months.

However, when Hamdan developed a persistent fever, rash, and infection, doctors initially treated him for a routine illness. After weeks of recurring symptoms and hospitalizations in Sharjah, medical professionals identified abnormal immune system findings and introduced the parents to the possibility of a life-threatening immune deficiency.

Genetic testing confirmed that Hamdan suffered from a rare RAG1-related immunodeficiency and Omenn syndrome, a severe condition that prevents the body from fighting infections. Doctors suspect that the couple's late daughter, Hamda, may have suffered from the same undiagnosed genetic disorder.

Seeking specialized care, the family was referred to Yas Clinic and Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre, where Dr Mansi Sachdev, a consultant in paediatric haematology, oncology and bone marrow transplantation, assured them of successful treatment. Because Hamdan had no sibling donors, both parents were tested, and Mr Arif was chosen as a half-match donor despite being a carrier of the altered gene.

Following chemotherapy to prepare his body, Hamdan underwent the stem cell transplant on May 8. Now 13 months old, Hamdan is recovering well, has accepted the donor cells without complications, and is returning to his normal, playful self under the continued care of Dr Mansi Sachdev and her medical team.

Dr Sachdev noted that increased awareness among physicians regarding rare immune deficiencies is helping medical teams identify and treat vulnerable children more effectively than in the past.