The Kano-born conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina, arrived at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Friday, two years after undergoing successful separation surgery sponsored by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The surgery, conducted by 19 surgeons, unfolded in nine stages that lasted approximately 14 hours, with each stage requiring precise coordination to safely separate the twins and reconstruct their individual systems.
The Consul General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, who received the twins in the company of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, said the successful outcome was one of the most challenging yet rewarding achievements of the Saudi program for separating conjoined twins.
He explained that after careful planning, a multi-disciplinary team of 38 consultants and specialists, including experts in pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, urology, anaesthesia, and plastic surgery, embarked on the delicate procedure.
According to him “life-saving operation was carried out at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, under the 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.”
It will be recalled that the conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina Hassan Isa, were flown to Riyadh in October 2023, where they underwent months of comprehensive medical examinations before the surgery.
It was discovered that they were joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine, sharing vital structures that made the case particularly complex.
Speaking at the event, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf promised to offer a full scholarship, healthcare, and sponsor further medical check-ups in Saudi Arabia next year.
Ahmad Sorondinki
