Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
In a landmark achievement for global medical science and international humanitarian cooperation, Hassana and Husaina, conjoined twins from Kano State, have returned home following a successful and incredibly complex separation surgery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The procedure, which culminated in a 14-hour marathon operation, marks the 65th successful separation under the renowned Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Programme.
The girls, who were received at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Friday by a delegation led by Kano State Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, had been abroad for 23 months undergoing a series of 19 preparatory surgeries and extensive medical evaluations before the final separation.
The twins’ case was one of exceptional complexity. Medical teams at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital discovered they were joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine, sharing a number of vital organs and structures. This required meticulous planning and a team of unprecedented scale.
A multidisciplinary task force of 38 consultants and specialists was assembled for the final procedure. The team included world-leading experts in paediatric surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, urology, anaesthesia, and plastic surgery.
The separation itself was executed in nine meticulously planned stages over the course of approximately 14 hours, each phase requiring pinpoint precision to divide shared tissues and reconstruct independent bodily systems for each child.
Upon their emotional return, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf welcomed the twins and their family back to Nigeria, heralding their successful treatment as a miracle. In a significant commitment to their future, the Governor announced that the Kano State Government would grant Hassana and Husaina a full scholarship up to the university level, as well as provide adequate healthcare for them, ensuring their continued well-being.
The Governor announced that the separated twins will undergo follow-up medical check-ups in Saudi Arabia next year.
The event was also attended by the Consul General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, who highlighted the operation as a powerful demonstration of the Kingdom’s commitment to global humanitarian service.
He revealed that the entire medical mission was conducted under the direct directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
“The separation of Hassana and Husaina is a testament to the strong historic ties between our nations,” Al-Admawi stated. “This programme reflects the Kingdom’s desire to extend a helping hand to those in need, anywhere in the world.”
The Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Programme, run by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, has now provided care for 150 sets of conjoined twins from 25 countries over its 35-year history, solidifying its status as one of the world’s most prominent and successful medical humanitarian initiatives. The return of Hassana and Husaina to their family in Kano stands as its latest profound success.
