Health News of Thursday, 14 February 2013

Source: Joy Online

Conjoined babies awaiting separation doing well

The conjoined twins, who are awaiting separation at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, are doing well, a few days after feeling feverish.

Doctors postponed the operation on Tuesday as the temperature of the babies rose above normal to about 40 degrees Celsius.

Both female children, named It’s Well and Gift, are joined from the lower part of the chest down to the abdomen.

Hospital officials say the children could have contracted an infection, having been kept there for long, but they are now responding to treatment.

They have been on admission since birth three months ago, after doctors detected the abnormality.

Their parents are reluctant to send them home until the defect is corrected, for fear of being stigmatized.

Despite their abnormality, however, the Siamese twins play between themselves, breastfeed and respond positively to their mother’s actions.

Head of Pediatric Surgery, Nimako Boateng, tells Nhyira Fm the operation will be done next week.

“So far as their state of health is concerned, they are looking very well. They are eating well. They are gaining well and they are very active, moving all over the place”, Dr. Nimako explained.

Doctors are happy about the support and co-operation they have received from the mother of the babies.

According to Dr. Nimako, “the mother has been all ready and she is happy that we can do something about it and she is also happy there is a possibility of saving both (the twins)”.

The 38-year-old woman is full of praise to the MTN Foundation for donating 20,000 cedis for the operation, following a Joy News documentary by Seth Kwame Boateng.

In tears, she told Nhyira Fm she has ignored suggestions from many friends and relatives to abandon the twins.

“The secret of my faith is God; because God is my helper. I know He is the one keeping me in this faith,” she said.

Meanwhile, doctors at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have been preventing people, including relatives from photographing the twins.