DELSUTH Delivers First Set Of Siamese Twins As Former Delta SSG Urges Nigerians To Fund Surgery

A set of conjoined twins, medically referred to as Siamese twins has been delivered at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, Oghara in Ethiope west local government area of Delta state.

The conjoined twins, a rare medical occurrence and first of its kind in Delta state, were delivered at 10.30am on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 through a caesarean section.

Our reporter, who visited the hospital on Friday, gathered that the twins, both boys, were delivered to a youth corps member father and a full time house wife.

A medical expert in DELSUTH, who would not want her name in print due to lack of authorization, confirmed the report, stating that the hospital management is yet to have a full cost of the separation surgery.

She disclosed that antenatal scans so far, revealed that the babies have two kidneys, two hearts but one liver, adding that post natal scan is yet to be conducted to ascertain the true position.

According to her, the babies both weighed 4.6kg at birth with one umbilical vein, adding that they are both on oxygen and stable except for a slight recorded case of hypoglycemia, low blood sugar. She said twins have cleft lips.

She also disclosed that American expatriates would be flown in for the surgery, but hinted, however, that the parents apparently lacked the wherewithal to finance the cost of the surgery.

Records show that Siamese twins occur in 1 out of 189,000 births, most commonly found in Africa and Asia. The condition comes with the babies sharing same organs in some situations as they join at different portions of the body.

At the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the Chief Medical Director of the hospital proved abortive.

Meanwhile, former secretary to Delta state government, Ovuozourie Macaulay, has called on government and well meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the twins in order to save their lives.

Macaulay, who was in DELSUTH to visit an Isoko North local government Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Edward Onoworua, visited the twins and described their birth as a miracle.

He commended the hospital management for their medical feat with a call on them to intensify efforts on the costing.