From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, has successfully conducted another surgical operation to separate conjoined twins at its facility on Monday.
Records indicate that this marks the sixth time the hospital has successfully carried out a conjoined twins separation surgery.
Head of the surgical team and former Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Auwal Abubakar, said the team performed a three-hour surgical procedure on the twins. He explained that all necessary surgical equipment and facilities were adequately in place, which contributed to the success of the operation.
Professor Abubakar stated that the twins were joined at the abdomen at birth, prompting their parents to seek medical attention at the hospital. He added that the parents travelled from Taraba State to access the specialised care.
According to him, the twins were kept under observation for some time to allow for detailed study of their condition before the separation surgery was eventually carried out by a 35-member medical team.
He confirmed that the babies have been moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where the affected areas will heal gradually under close medical supervision.
Professor Abubakar also commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for supporting the establishment of a Centre of Excellence at the hospital, where state-of-the-art medical equipment has been installed to enhance healthcare service delivery. He noted that the surgery was carried out free of charge.
In his remarks, the father of the twins, Shuaibu Jibrin, expressed appreciation to the hospital for providing the medical services at no cost.
Jibrin said he married his wife in February 2025 and she became pregnant nine months later. However, the birth of the conjoined twins came with complications and they were delivered through a Caesarean section (C-section) at Jatau Health Facility in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.
He added that his wife died during the delivery, after which they were advised to take the babies to MAUTH in Yola for specialised treatment, a recommendation they followed.
Jibrin noted that since arriving at the hospital about five months ago, all medical services provided to the twins have been free.
Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of MAUTH Yola, Professor Adamu G. Bakari, assured the public that the hospital remains accessible and well-equipped with qualified personnel to provide quality healthcare services.
Professor Bakari said the Federal Government has installed the necessary equipment in the hospital to ensure excellent service delivery, adding that proper maintenance of the facilities is being prioritised.
Our correspondent reports that the separation surgery was televised live by the hospital’s Public Relations Unit to a limited audience comprising staff, invited journalists, and a few members of the public.