A newborn baby boy in Pakistan is receiving specialist medical care after being born with an extremely rare condition that left him with six legs, a case doctors say affects only about one in a million births.

The infant, who was born last week in Sukkur, southeastern Pakistan, is now being treated at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi, where specialists are carefully evaluating the safest way to help him.

According to Dr. Jamal Raza, Director of NICH, the additional limbs are believed to be the result of an exceptionally rare developmental condition involving an incompletely developed twin during pregnancy.

“One of the babies is not fully developed, giving the present physical structure to the baby,” Dr. Raza explained.

Doctors believe some of the extra limbs belonged to the underdeveloped twin and remained attached during fetal development, creating the unusual appearance seen at birth.

Medical experts say the condition is extraordinarily uncommon, affecting approximately one in every one million infants.

Now, a team of specialists is working to determine the best surgical approach. Because of the complexity of the case, NICH is also considering seeking assistance from international experts to help plan the procedure.

While doctors focus on giving the baby the best possible care, his family is facing another difficult challenge.

The baby’s father says he cannot afford the cost of traveling from Sukkur to Karachi to stay by his son’s side, nor does he have the financial means to cover the medical expenses associated with the complex surgery.

Instead, he is appealing to charities and the Pakistani government for support, hoping his son will receive the treatment he urgently needs.

“Our only wish is for our baby to have the opportunity to grow up healthy,” the family shared. “We are praying that he receives the care he needs and that one day we can bring him home.”

Source: Fox News