Two twin sisters, Dr Hadiyah Usman, a medical doctor, and Dr Aidah Usman, a pharmacist, have died days apart after battling sickle cell disease in Yobe State.
The sisters, who were both young healthcare professionals, died within two days of each other, leaving their family, friends and colleagues devastated.
Hadiyah was undergoing her medical internship at the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, in Nguru Local Government Area of Yobe State, while her twin sister, Aidah, was working as a pharmacist at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital in Borno State.
The deceased were daughters of the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, Prof Hadiza Abdullahi Usman.
A family member, Ibrahim Auwal, confirmed the deaths, saying the sisters had been battling sickle cell disease before their deaths.
According to him, Hadiyah died on Friday, while Aidah passed away on Sunday, just two days later.
“It is a very painful development. Hadiyah passed away on Friday, and Aidah followed on Sunday. Both sisters had been battling sickle cell disease, and their deaths are a great loss, particularly to their family, friends and colleagues,” Auwal said.
Hadiyah reportedly suffered a sickle cell crisis and was admitted to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru, where she received treatment for about a week before her death.
Her twin sister, Aidah, was also receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital around the same period. She was said to have initially responded to treatment and was discharged.
However, her condition reportedly deteriorated later, leading to her death on Sunday.
The deaths have attracted sadness within the medical community, particularly among colleagues and friends who knew the sisters as dedicated healthcare professionals.
Auwal described the sisters as hardworking young women who were committed to their professions and had promising careers ahead of them.
“We are deeply saddened by what has happened. Losing the two sisters within just a few days has been extremely painful for the family. They were both dedicated to their professions and had promising futures ahead of them,” he said.
The deaths also highlight the continuing challenges faced by people living with sickle cell disease, a hereditary blood disorder that can cause severe health complications and recurrent crises.
For the family, the loss has been particularly devastating because the sisters were not only twins but had also pursued careers in healthcare, with one working as a medical doctor and the other as a pharmacist.
Their professional paths had placed them within the healthcare system in the North-East, where they were reportedly respected by colleagues and friends.
The sisters were subsequently buried according to Islamic rites.
Their deaths have continued to generate grief among members of their family, friends, colleagues and the wider healthcare community, coming so close together and at a time when both were building their professional careers.
The family is expected to mourn the sisters together, with tributes likely to continue from colleagues and others who knew the deceased during their education and professional careers.
The loss of the twins has also renewed attention to the need for greater awareness, early intervention and sustained medical support for people living with sickle cell disease, particularly during severe crises.
For those who knew Hadiyah and Aidah, their deaths represent the loss of two promising healthcare professionals whose careers were cut short within days of each other.
