Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will cover the full cost of treatment for a Jordanian toddler with spinal muscular atrophy at a Dubai hospital.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has stepped in to fund life-saving treatment for a young Jordanian girl with spinal muscular atrophy. The Dubai Media Office announced on Thursday that Katia Abu Al-Saud, who is one year and four months old, will receive her full treatment at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital in Dubai, with the costs covered by the Dubai Ruler.
The decision came after the child’s family launched an online appeal seeking help with the cost of her care. Her mother had shared her daughter’s story on social media, where it drew wide attention and support before reaching Sheikh Mohammed. In a video posted after the announcement, the family expressed their deep gratitude for the gesture, saying it had restored their hope after a long and difficult journey.
Katia Abu Al-Saud Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatment in Dubai
According to Khaleej Times, Katia’s family said the treatment could cost up to $2.4 million and involves a gene therapy injection that is not available in Jordan. Doctors have stressed the importance of administering the treatment before the child turns two, which had left the family racing against time to secure the funds.
Katia first began showing signs of developmental difficulty at around six months of age, when her parents noticed that her movement was not progressing like that of other children her age. She was later diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. The treatment will be fully paid for and provided at Al Jalila Children’s Hospital, one of a small number of facilities worldwide equipped to administer the therapy.
Her family said the support marked a crucial step in her treatment journey and thanked everyone who had helped by sharing her story, praying for her, or bringing attention to her case.
The intervention adds to a series of similar humanitarian gestures by Sheikh Mohammed over the years. The Dubai Ruler has previously funded costly treatment for children with spinal muscular atrophy and other serious conditions after their families made public appeals.
Earlier cases include a Syrian girl who received gene therapy at the same hospital in 2025 and an Iraqi toddler whose treatment was covered in 2021. In each instance, the treatment involved the same type of one-time gene therapy, which has been described as among the most expensive medical treatments in the world.
The Al Jalila Foundation, which is supported by Sheikh Mohammed, plays a significant role in advancing medical research and providing treatment for a range of health conditions, particularly among children. The family is expected to travel to the UAE from Jordan, with further details to be shared once they arrive.
