Saudi surgeons successfully separate Nigerian conjoined twins

Hassana and Hassina are the 56th set of twins separated by KRelief.

The team that successfully separated conjoined twins Hassana and Hassina. Photo: SPA

Saudi surgeons on Thursday successfully separated Nigerian conjoined twins after a 14-hour operation in Riyadh.

Hassana and Hassina, who were born in Kaduna, Nigeria, on January 12, 2022, shared an abdomen, pelvis, liver, intestines, and urinary and reproductive systems.

The specialist surgical team earlier announced the twins were in a stable condition at King Abdullah Specialist Hospital for Children in King Abdulaziz Medical City.

On the directives of King Salman, the 85-member multidisciplinary team performed the surgery.

Led by Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, an adviser to the Saudi Royal Court and supervisor general of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KRelief), the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme has assisted with 130 cases of conjoined twins from 23 countries over a period of 33 years.

Hassana and Hassina will be the 56th set of twins to be separated by KRelief.

Nigeria’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawal, said: “I take this opportunity to once again thank the custodian of the two holy mosques, the crown prince, and the entire leadership of the kingdom for this kind humanitarian gesture extended to these conjoined Nigerian twins, Hassana and Hassina," the Saudi Press Agency statement said.

“ Nigeria shall ever remain grateful for this kind humanitarian act.”

The ambassador added: “We understand a number of stages have been successfully carried out and look forward to successfully finishing the remaining stages.”