Abu Dhabi medical group delivers emergency drugs to fight brain-eating bug in Kerala

Emergency drugs to treat a brain-eating bug that has killed three people in India have been shipped to the country by Abu Dhabi -based entrepreneur Dr Shamsheer Vayalil. The founder of one of the country’s largest healthcare providers, VPS Healthcare, stepped in to support the south Indian state of Kerala after reports of a potential outbreak of deadly primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). PAM, caused by the so-called brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, is a rare but devastating infection with a fatality rate of 97 per cent, and usually affects children who have been swimming in open water. Kerala has reported several cases in recent months, with three deaths. Two other children are critically ill, receiving intensive care at a hospital in the state’s Kozhikode district. One of those to survive the infection is 14-year-old Afnan Jasim, who is recovering after being given a dose of Miltefosine shipped in from Germany. His father, MK Siddique, works on the land in his coastal hometown of Payyoli and told The National he suspects his son contracted the virus after swimming in a freshwater pond two weeks ago. “Afnan first experienced seizures on June 30 at around 9pm, two days after he had been for a dip in the pond,” he said. “He had neck pain, but it immediately got better when we applied medicine. When he started to have seizures, he had a mild fever and a headache. We were really worried. “Luckily, we reached the hospital on time and when we said he had been swimming in the pond, that is when they did the tests.” Afnan was in hospital for 22 days and has been regularly tested since to check for the presence of the disease. It is hoped he will recover fully and be able to return to school within a few weeks. “We didn't know about the consequences of this disease, although we knew it was related to amoeba,” said Mr Siddique. “When the doctor came for counselling, that’s when we began to understand the gravity of his situation in detail. “It was only by the day before he was discharged that we realised it was the first time a person had survived this disease in India.” The drug costs about Dh14,000 for a box of 56 tablets, but because infections are so rare, the treatment is difficult to procure. The drug is licensed in the US and produced in Europe so pharmacists said it can be difficult to get hold of quickly when it is most needed. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended miltefosine, also known as Impavido, for PAM treatment since 2013. After searching dispensaries in the UAE and India, a shipment from Germany was eventually acquired to treat casualties in Kerala. The Naegleria fowleri amoeba thrives in warm freshwater such as rivers, lakes and ponds and specifically attacks the brain tissue of its host after entering through the nose. Infections usually occur in summer, during periods of low water and high temperatures, and can also be found in poorly maintained swimming pools. Headache and nausea is usually followed by vomiting and hallucinations with a rapid deterioration in health resulting in a coma, and usually death within 18 days. Kerala Health Minister Veena George received the first shipment of 56 tablets from Germany on Monday, with a second batch due to arrive soon. “Amoebic Meningoencephalitis is a very rare disease, and there is no specific medicine for its treatment,” said Ms George. “The literature on this condition is also limited. When cases were recently reported in Kerala, we consulted with the central government and identified Miltefosine as a crucial drug. “However, its availability in India is very limited. Thanks to the support of Dr Vayalil and VPS Healthcare, this essential medicine has been handed over to the government.” A similar outbreak struck the same province in 2018, while a 10-year-old boy was taken to hospital with the condition in Northern Israel, and another 25-year-old died. Stocks of the drug are now being held in reserve to ensure any others infected can get access to rapid, life-saving care. “Ensuring the health and safety of communities, especially during critical times, is a priority for us,” said Dr Vayalil, who also contributed to the 2018 outbreak in Kerala with medical aid. “The fight against Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis in Kerala is a call to action we could not ignore. “By immediately making available the required medicine, we aim to offer hope and a chance for recovery to those affected. “Our team is committed to ensuring sufficient supplies, with the second batch to be handed over in the coming days.”

Abu Dhabi medical group delivers emergency drugs to fight brain-eating bug in Kerala

VPS Healthcare sends batch of miltefosine to fight rare cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis