Iranian ‘butterfly children’ suffering from Sweden’s medical embargo
The medical embargo on Iranian patients suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), often referred to as “butterfly disease,” has been described as a constant source of pain, with the severity of the situation escalating daily.
This is due to the exclusive production of a specific type of dressing in Sweden, which is currently inaccessible to these patients due to inhumane sanctions, IRNA reported.
In 2018, the US government withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), contravening Security Council Resolution 2231. This led to the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran, which critics argue unfairly target ordinary citizens and patients like those suffering from EB.
Patients with rare diseases, particularly children with EB, locally known as “butterfly children,” have been hit hardest by these sanctions. They struggle to access necessary medical and pharmaceutical equipment, including the specialized dressings produced solely in Sweden. The sanctions have left these patients in a state of dire need.
The primary challenge for EB patients is obtaining these dressings, which alleviate some of the pain associated with their condition. Tragically, some have lost their lives due to the sanctions, a situation that critics have labeled a crime against these vulnerable children and teenagers.
The issue of caring for these patients has become a priority for Iranian officials across various executive bodies. The president has expressed particular concern over the embargo on drugs needed by these patients. In a conversation with CGTN China, he compared the sanctions to warfare, stating, “In fact, this is the same as war, but its tools have been changed; yesterday the tools were military, today sanctions, and they follow these sanctions very ruthlessly.”
He further added, “Even the medicine needed by the patients has been embargoed for Iran. For butterfly patients, children among them, it is very painful for their families; the medicines they need have been sanctioned.”