month. The reason for the exorbitant cost of the treatment is that gaucher falls in the category of rare diseases. As small number of people suffer from rare diseases, pharmaceutical companies are unable to recover their research and development costs over a large base of patients. It is for this reason that these drugs are exorbitantly priced at a global level. No Indian drug company has developed a competing drug for this disease till date. WITH DELHI GOVERNMENT'S MONTH'S TREATMENT GIVEN 5. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ONE The petitioner underwent his first treatment in August 2013 availing of financial assistance from the Delhi Arogya Kosh, which provides financial assistance to the extent of rupees five lakhs to needy eligible patients. Under the Scheme, the petitioner received a cheque of Rs.4,80,000/- in favour of the Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and was able to receive the first treatment. However, respondent No.2 has stated in its counter affidavit that the petitioner having exhausted Rs.4,80,000/- can now be extended further financial assistance for medical treatment only to the extent of Rs.20,000/-. DURING THE PENDENCY OF PETITION, A HOSPITAL, A DRUG COMPANY AND LAWYERS OF DELHI HIGH COURT VOLUNTARILY CAME FORWARD TO ORGANISE SIX MONTH'S TREATMENT 6. Since during the pendency of the present petition, petitioner required urgent medical treatment, on 29th January, 2014 Medanta - The Medicity Hospital, Gurgaon, Haryana offered one month's free treatment of enzyme replacement to the petitioner. Subsequently, on the oral request of this W.P.(C) 7279/2013 Page 3 of 41