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Dubai Ruler to cover treatment of 1-year-old Jordanian girl with spinal muscular atrophy
Katya Abu Al-Saud's treatment will be fully paid for and provided at the Al Jalila Hospital
- PUBLISHED: Thu 20 Aug 2026, 7:32 PM UPDATED: Thu 20 Aug 2026, 9:53 PM
Dubai's Ruler will be covering the treatment for a young Jordanian girl suffering from spinal muscular atrophy — whose family's plea had recently gone viral online — the Dubai Media Office revealed in a statement on Thursday, August 20.
Katya Abu Al-Saud's treatment will be fully paid for and provided at the Al Jalila Hospital in Dubai.
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Katya, who is just 1 year and 4 months, first started showing symptoms at six months, when her parents noticed she was not developing normally like other children of her age, in terms of movement, as per media reports.
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Her treatment costs up to $2.4 million, which her family said it did not have, and involves a gene therapy injection that is not available in Jordan.
Katya's story touched several hearts online after the family started an online fund for the little one's treatment, with all donations being collected and transferred to an account in the US.
The crucial injection, according to doctors, needs to be administered by the age of two. The family, that was racing against time, has now finally found relief with the Dubai Ruler's generous donation.
Past incidents of generosity
In July last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, heard the plea of a Syrian father whose daughter was suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.
The Ruler said he would fully cover the Dh7 million treatment, with his office contacting the father directly.
Meanwhile, in March 2021, Sheikh Mohammed responded to an emotional video of an Iraqi mother, crying and asking for help to fund Dh8 million treatment to save her 19-month-old girl's life.
Baby Laveen Jabbar Al Kutyashi received the genetics treatment for spinal muscular atrophy successfully at Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital. The therapy - which includes a one-time infusion of the drug Zolgensma (AVXS-101) - is considered the world's most expensive treatment.
Sheikh Mohammed also sponsored the entire treatment when 15-year-old Fatima Ahmed Hassan was diagnosed with sarcoma cancer. She and her family were overwhelmed, until hope came from the highest level. After months of intensive treatment, Fatima is now cancer-free.
The Sheikh's interventions in providing life-saving medical care to individuals who would otherwise not have access to it, particularly children, have been widely recognised.
The Al Jalila Foundation, which is supported by Sheikh Mohammed, also plays a significant role in advancing medical research and providing treatment for various health conditions, especially children.
