Family of conjoined twins happy to get ₦‎36m operation for free

The family of conjoined twins namely Hassana and Hussaina has expressed gratitude to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Saudi monarch, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for the support in helping to separate them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Siamese twins were successively separated by 35 consultants, specialists, and nursing and technical personnel at King Abdullah Specialist Hospital.

The successful 14-hour operation took place on May 18 under the humanitarian auspices for Children of the Saudi Monarch at King Abdulaziz Medical City of the National Guard in Riyadh.

The conjoined twins were born in Kaduna, Nigeria on January 12, 2022, and they shared the abdomen, pelvis, liver, intestines, urinary and reproductive system, and pelvic bones.

Aliyu Abdulmalik, the uncle of the separated twins told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that the surgery was God's handiwork.

He thanked the Nigerian Government for the technical support and also the Saudi monarch for the financial support.

"We thank King Salman and the Prince for catering for us from the day we arrived in Saudi Arabia.

"We were given first-class treatment from December 8 when we arrived till the day of the operation. This operation is supposed to cost ₦‎36 million but it was done free," he said.

Abdulmalik commended the Saudi programme for the separation of Siamese twins for their expertise in the surgery.

He said that they had supervised 130 cases from 23 countries over 33 years and separated 55 cases, making Hassana and Hussaina, the 56th case.