A five-year-old boy passed away during the early hours of Monday while undergoing treatment following a bone marrow transplant in Manipal Hospital, India.

Associate Specialist Pediatrician at Maldivian Blood Service (MBS) Dr Ahmed Umar disclosed that Ayan succumbed to complications experienced after the transplant.

Financed by the Zakat Fund, Abdulla Ayaan bin Mohamed Waheed began undergoing treatment for Thalassemia in February 2018.

Patients must be kept under observation for a minimum of four months following a bone marrow transplant. Due to the length and rigorousness of the recovery process, patients require extra care and attention even after they are discharged from the hospital.

Another Thalassemia patient, aged nine, died from a serious case of Dengue Fever on Monday night. A total of six Thalassemia patients have passed away in 2019, with two deaths reported last Sunday.