TOBA TEK SINGH: The four children of a man have been suffering from duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy, a disease which cripples the nerves of bodies leaving the patients unable to stand or walk.

Iftikhar Husain, of Kamalia, told reporters that his three sons -- Umer (15), Husnain (12) and Azhar (10) -- have been DMD patients for 10 years and were unable to do anything without help.

His eldest son Shahzad, also a DMD patient, did not feel any problem with his nerves but when he turned 18, he too suffered the attack of DMD disease.

He said he had spent his property on the treatment of his children and now he had been forced to appeal to the government and philanthropist to help him.

He said he was a labourer and his wife was a home-based worker as she could not go out leaving the children at home.

Child specialist Dr Habibur Rehman says the DMD disease has no treatment in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2015