The hospital successfully administered Velaglucerase alfa to a three-and-a-half-year-old child, expanding access to specialised rare disease treatment in the region
Dibrugarh: Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH), Dibrugarh, has achieved a significant milestone in specialised healthcare by successfully administering Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT) to a three-and-a-half-year-old child diagnosed with a lysosomal storage disease (LSD).
According to the institution, the therapy was administered using Velaglucerase alfa, making AMCH the first centre in Northeast India to successfully provide the specialised treatment for an LSD patient.
The procedure was conducted under the leadership of Dr Arpita Gogoi of the Department of Paediatrics, with support from a multidisciplinary team of doctors and specialists at the medical college.
The treatment was delivered through AMCH’s Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases, established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021.
Lysosomal storage diseases are rare genetic and metabolic disorders that often require specialised diagnosis, long-term clinical management and disease-specific treatment. Access to such therapies can be difficult for patients in regions with limited rare disease facilities.
The successful administration of ERT marks an expansion of AMCH’s capabilities in managing rare diseases and could reduce the need for patients from Assam and other northeastern states to travel outside the region for specialised care.
The development also underscores the growing role of public healthcare institutions in bringing advanced rare disease treatment closer to patients.
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