Assam Medical College Becomes First in Northeast to Administer Rare Disease Therapy

Guwahati: Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh made history this week. The institution became the first in Northeast India to administer Enzyme Replacement Therapy to a patient with a lysosomal storage disease. The recipient is a three-and-a-half-year-old child. Doctors treated the patient using Velaglucerase alfa.

Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics Dr. Arpita Gogoi led the procedure. She worked alongside Dorothy Gargo and a multidisciplinary team of specialists. This medical milestone highlights the facility's growing capacity to manage complex, rare genetic and metabolic conditions.

The treatment occurred at the Centre of Excellence for Rare Diseases located within the college. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare established this unit under the National Policy for Rare Diseases, 2021. Officials believe this breakthrough will change lives. As noted by the institution, the achievement "expands access to specialised treatment for patients with rare genetic and metabolic disorders in Assam and the Northeast."

Local families no longer need to travel to metropolitan hubs for care. The college now provides critical diagnostic and long-term management services directly to the region. This development signifies a push for more equitable healthcare. Doctors expect the centre to handle more rare disease cases moving forward.