Thiruvananthapuram : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging to waive tax on import of a rare disease drug for a toddler in Kannur.
One-and-half year old Muhammad suffers from a rare disorder – Spinal Muscular Atrophy(SMA) that steadily debilitates the central nervous system. A charity drive organized by leaders and neighbours raised funds toward purchase the drug Zolgensma – the prescription gene therapy that treats the condition.
The centre had exempted import of Zolgensma once last year for a similarly ailing child from Mumbai.
The drug, to come from America costs Rs 18 crores with roughly Rs 6 crores levy by the way of central taxes..
