Pakistani girl with Morquio Syndrome to get free treatment

In this Oct. 20, 2016 photo, Maria (center) who is suffering from a disease known as Morquio Syndrome, plays with family members in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

ISLAMABAD: A 6-year-old Pakistani girl afflicted with Morquio Syndrome will finally be able to undergo surgery after a four-year wait.
The United States Embassy in Islamabad has issued a visa to the ailing child to be treated at a children’s hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. The hospital has agreed to do the procedure for free.
Shahid Ullah, the father of Maria, said that the family is “so happy” at the news and thanked friends and supporters world over who helped them.
Ullah, a poor merchant who owns a shop selling blankets in Rawalpindi, has campaigned for nearly four years seeking treatment for Maria, who suffers from the genetic disorder in which the vertebrae compress the spinal cord.
Ullah said he and his wife will accompany Maria to the US.