The African health sector is often looked down as inadequate and lacking proper skilled staff. Many times, people outside of Africa think that Africans are not intelligent enough to carry out Amazing feats. However, A Nigerian hospital has proved that Nigerians and indeed Africans can attain high standards of excellence. A team of Nigerian medical Experts have successfully separated Conjoined twins who shared same vital organs.
Goodness and Mercy Martins, a pair of conjoined twins, have been separated after a team of Nigerian medical experts. The experts spent 13 hours performing a complex surgery on them in Abuja Nigeria.
The conjoined twins were delivered at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi, on August 13, 2018. They were conjoined face-to-face at the chest and abdomen. Hence they were referred to the National Hospital, Abuja the following day, August 14, 2018.
They required about 20 million Naira for complex surgeries. The surgeries that would separate them at the heart and the liver. Because their heart and liver were fused together from the womb.
Fortunately in their case, the management of the National Hospital Abuja decided to fund their care and the entire processes leading to the major surgical procedure. The funding for their separation was part of corporate social responsibility.
The Surgery was successfully done on November 12th, 2019. By a combined team of Nigerian medical experts led by Surgeon, Emmanuel Ameh.
A team of 78 indigenous Nigerian Medical Experts, comprising surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, paediatricians, radiologists, haematologists, chemical pathologists, and pharmacists conducted the surgery.
Ameh said pre-surgery examination conducted revealed that the babies shared vital organs including, liver, chest wall, diaphragm and pericardium. He said experts , however successfully shared the liver for the two babies using modern medical equipment.
Conjoined Twins
Conjoined twins develop when an early embryo only partially separates to form two individuals, according to an article on Mayo Clinic.
Although two fetuses will develop from this embryo, they will remain physically connected. Most often at the chest, abdomen or pelvis. As a result, Conjoined twins may also share one or more internal organs.
Though many conjoined twins stillborn or die shortly after birth, advances in surgery and technology have improved survival rates. Some surviving conjoined twins can be surgically separated. But, the success of surgery depends on where the twins are joined and how many and which organs are shared, as well as the experience and skill of the surgical team.
“Surgery Was Not Performed By Whites”
Mr Osagie, the senior health minister, expressed delight that the surgery was not conducted abroad.
“This separation was not conducted by whites but Nigerians. Therefore, it will help restore the much-needed confidence in our health sector and reduce medical tourism”.
Mr Momoh, the CMD of National Hospital, thanked the Nigerian government for investing “so much in the hospital for it to be able to carry out such a rare surgical procedure”.
The medical director said it would have cost the parents about 20 million Naira if they had sort for medical treatment abroad.
Also, the case of the twins presented the hospital ”an opportunity to display the might of their surgical strength and expertise.”
