A two-hour operation by a team of seven surgeons, doctors and other medical personnel, led by one Dr. Kigbu, resulted in a successful separation of conjoined twins on Monday, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, during a free medical outreach sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.
A team member, who pleaded for anonymity, said:
“Ordinarily, it could cost the parents over N2 million or more to carry out the operation in a private facility. The two-hour operation was conducted by seven surgeons, doctors and other medical personnel.”
It was gathered that the male died but the female is responding well to treatment. The free services is offered to over 50,000 beneficiaries across the 20 local government areas, as The Nation reported that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, sponsored a similar service in 2016 and 2017, where over 140,000 patients were treated free.
The conjoined twins born by a 20-year-old housewife, Ikilima Shuaibu, were joined in the stomach but unfortunately one of them born without a head died, while the surviving baby was named Ikilima after the mother.
Speaking to Journalists at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital on Monday, Ikilima who looked traumatized said she delivered the babies normal without undergoing any Caesarian section.
“I gave birth to my twins in the clinic at Chanka but unfortunately the babies were joined together and we were referred to the Teaching Hospital. We have spent 2 months in the hospital receiving treatment until this morning when the doctors came and told us that they want to perform surgery to separate the twins.
“When I delivered the twins, one was complete the other came out without a head but was alive because I was feeling her movement but later died a few days later.
“This is my third delivery. I had two children before the coming of my twins and they were born normal, but the only problem I had while delivering my second baby was that placenta stuck inside my womb but was referred to another PHC in Gar where it was later removed,” Ikilima further said.
