The Nigeria medical community has once again witnessed a milestone in medical history with the successful separation of omphalopagus conjoined twins by a team of Medical experts at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi (FMCK), Nasarawa State.
This was disclosed by the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora during a press briefing held to commemorate this feat, where he informed that “separation of conjoined twins used to be a phenomenon that took place in medical practice of the first world, but here we are announcing an operation carried out by 100% indigenous medical team.”
Dr. Mamora who said the conjoined twins were born about fifteen months ago on 4th April, 2019 in a facility in Nasarawa State and referred to the FMCK, where they were found to be joined at the abdomen and rib cage, they shared a common liver, subcutaneous tissue and skin with fixed xiphisternum and cartilages of 10th and 11th ribs.
The Honourable Minister of State said that the extensive preparation for the separation involved a multidisciplinary team of over fifty (50) Medical Experts cutting across the Paediatric Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Anaesthetists, Intensivists, Paediatricians/Neonatologist, Laboratory Physicians, Scientists, Radiologists, Nurses, Pharmacists, Social Welfare Officers, Physiotherapists, Orthopedic Surgeons and others.
He said “On the 10th of July, 2020, after a 9 hour long surgery, they were successfully separated with no intraoperative complications. They were managed in the intensive care unit and the post-operative events and outcome have been most satisfactory.” “As at today the twins are hale and are with us here Friday.”
In his intervention, the Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Keffi (FMCK), Dr. Yahaha Baba Adamu said this wasn’t the first time the Centre was presented with conjoined twins. He said they had to refer the first one to the National Hospital, Abuja for separation. He however disclosed his team learnt a lesson of challenge that they had same training and expertise as the National Hospital Team thus having no reason to refer their second case. He said they braced up to the challenge of separating the twins successfully. He puts the cost of the separation of their twin at about N35 Million, all borne by FMCK with a N10 Million support from the Governor of Nasarawa State.
Dr. Mamora enjoined further that “This is what we have been able to achieve by working together. As we have always said, we have some of the best trained medical personnel anywhere in the world. Our institutions are strong and viable and with the needed encouragement they can rank among the best in the world.”
With delight about the milestone event, the Honourable Minister of State expressed gratitude to, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR “for his support in encouraging Nigerian Tertiary Institutions to bridge the gap of medical tourism through clinical research and skill development.”
The Honourable Minister of State described the situation which used to be novel said: “Separation of conjoined twins was a phenomenon that we were used to hearing take place in medical practice of the first world but here we are today also announcing an operation carried out by one hundred percent Indigenous Medical Team leading to the separation of Omphalopagus conjoined twins name Hassana and Husseina Ukpo.”
He commended all those involved in “this great feat” thanking them for “putting our country up there” and expressing optimism that “soon with the right encouragement, our country will be a destination for medical tourism.”
The Honourable Minister of State for Health specially thanked the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. A. A. Sule “for his support to the Centre to make this a success.”
He also commended the Chairman of the Governing Board of FMCK, Prince Sule-Iko Sadieq Sami and members of the Board “for this event happening during their watch” giving special appreciation to the Medical Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Yahaya Baba Adamu “for his tireless efforts at assembling such a powerful medical team.”
The Minister of State assured that from henceforth, “Federal Medical Centre, Keffi will be one of the Centres of Federal Government focus on specialized surgeries.”