The Presidency has hailed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its humanitarian outlet, the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre, for throwing a lifeline at a Nigerian conjoined twin.
The Presidency was reacting to the offer by the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre to sponsor the operation and treatment of Hassana and Hussaina, who were born conjoined in their abdomen with other natural, life-threatening conditions.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Saudi humanitarian outfit, having been informed of the condition of the Kano-born twin by the country’s Consul in Nigeria, Khalil Ahmed Al-Adamawi, offered to take over their treatment.
“The Presidency welcomes the humanitarian assistance from the King Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre for the offer of treatment to a poor Nigerian family who birthed a set of conjoined twins.
“Hassana and Hussaina, both girls, joined in the abdomen, were born to a Kano family at a government hospital in Kaduna State. They share a liver and did not come with anuses for the excretion of wastes.
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“They were moved to the National Hospital, Abuja, where they stayed 7-8 months without undergoing surgery because the funding for it could not be raised. The National Hospital had done such surgery in the past.
“The Saudi Consul, Khalil Ahmed Al-Adamawi, whose attention was drawn to the humanitarian situation, successfully got the support of the King Salman Foundation, which plans to send an air ambulance any time from now for their medical evacuation to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they are to be separated and receive liver implants.
“The Presidency commends the humanitarian gesture of the King Salman Foundation and Relief Centre and prays for the success of the surgery,” the statement reads.