Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on Friday welcomed conjoined twins Hassana and Hussaina back to the country after their successful separation surgery in Saudi Arabia.
The girls arrived at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport alongside their family and were greeted by officials, community members, and Saudi representatives.
The surgery took place at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, following the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Punch reported that “Hassana and Hussaina had been flown to Saudi Arabia in October 2023, where a team of 38 specialists, including pediatric surgeons, neurosurgeons, and plastic surgeons, performed the delicate procedure that lasted about 14 hours and was completed in nine stages.”
Doctors discovered that the twins were joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine, sharing vital structures that made the case particularly complex.
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.
Speaking at the airport, Yusuf expressed gratitude to the Saudi authorities for sponsoring the surgery and pledged that the state government would take responsibility for the girls’ welfare, including their education up to the university level.
The Consular General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, who was present at the airport to welcome the family, described the success of the surgery as a demonstration of the Kingdom’s commitment to humanitarian service.
“Saudi Arabia would continue to extend medical assistance and goodwill to countries in need through King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, especially Nigeria with which it shares historic ties,” he said.
He noted that the successful separation of Hassana and Hussaina represents the 65th operation completed through the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Program. Over the past 35 years, the initiative has offered medical care to 150 sets of conjoined twins from 25 different countries.
Media reports revealed that the program is now recognized as one of the leading medical humanitarian efforts in the world, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s advanced capabilities in pediatric surgery and its commitment to assisting vulnerable families in need.
