Missenyi conjoined twins set for Saudi Arabia

MISENYI District conjoined twins who have been in the press for some time will now be flown to Saudi Arabia for special separation with assistance from a sympathizer. The twins Anicia and Meriness, who were born at St Thereza Omukajunguti Health Centre, in the district on January 29, this year and currently admitted at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH),

will get the assistance after the sympathizer who preferred to remain anonymous promised to help. Confiding to the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview yesterday, the father of the twins, Benatus Bernado (28), said plans were being finalized to get visa for the family including the mother to the country. “Doctors at Muhimbili have advised us that Saudi Arabia has skilled medical experts, and have machines to conduct such operation of separating conjoined twins.

We are very thankful and hopeful that the operation in Saudi Arabia would be successful,” he pointed out. Surgery of separating conjoined twins normally has complications and costs ranging from easy to complicated work, depending on the internal organs they share. In most cases without the presence of skilled medical staff as well as machines, they become extremely risky and life-threatening and may result into the death of one or both of them, particularly if they are joined at the head or share a vital organ.

The twins are currently in good health in the institution, despite the doctors advising for their reallocation. However, initially Mr Bernado pointed out that some doctors at the Bukoba Regional Referral Hospital had advised the family not to transfer the twins to MNH, despite their complication of sharing the same organs. In their complication each child has her own heart, but they share one digestive system and sex organ.

At the same time, they face each other and are joined at the upper abdomen and have three legs. This is the mother’s Jonesia's second pregnancy, with her first born being a boy aged 1.2 years