MAUTH Celebrates Medical Breakthrough As Separated Conjoined Twins Go Home Healthy

Daji Sani in Yola 

An atmosphere of joy and professional pride enveloped Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital in Yola weekend as the facility discharged conjoined twins following a successful surgical separation described as a landmark achievement.

The discharge ceremony drew medical professionals, government officials, traditional leaders, hospital management, the patients’ families, and well-wishers. Residents called the moment a triumph of science, teamwork and courage.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Ali Danburam, former Medical Director of MAUTH and the Ptil Madagali, the Royal Highness said the event went far beyond a routine hospital gathering. He described it as a convergence of medicine, humanity and faith.

Danburam noted that separating conjoined twins represents one of the most delicate frontiers in pediatric surgery, adding that the procedure demands extraordinary coordination, precision and endurance from a highly trained multidisciplinary team.

He paid tribute to lead surgeon, Professor Auwal Muhammad Abubakar, the immediate past Chief Medical Director of MAUTH, and commended anesthetists, nurses, technicians, and support staff whose combined expertise turned a difficult possibility into reality.

According to Danburam, the success reflects the visionary foundations laid by the institution’s early leadership, adding  that MAUTH’s culture of excellence, careful recruitment, and continuous staff training created the environment for such a feat.

“What we celebrate today did not emerge by chance,” he stated. He recalled the sacrifices of the hospital’s founding years and stressed that institutional growth rests on foresight, discipline and commitment to quality healthcare.

Prof. Abubakar revealed that the twins had been admitted for more than five months under complete financial exemption, adding that MAUTH covered all medical expenses from admission through radiological assessment, diagnosis, surgery and recovery.

He praised the nursing staff, radiology department, patient relations services, and other specialists for seamless coordination. He explained that conjoined twin surgeries vary in complexity depending on the organs shared by the patients.

In this case, the twins shared the breastbone and liver, making the procedure highly delicate though less complicated than separations involving hearts, brains, or kidneys. 

Auwal said improved equipment and accumulated experience have cut surgical time significantly.

He added that some highly complex separations can last up to 70 hours, but survival rates improve greatly when surgeries are carefully planned by experienced teams. Emergency interventions, he noted, carry much lower chances of success.

Chief Medical Director of MAUTH, Prof. Adamu Bakari Girei, described the discharge as a celebration of sacrifice, teamwork, and institutional excellence. He credited strong foundations laid by past administrations and praised support from government and stakeholders.

Girei reaffirmed MAUTH’s vision of building a healthcare system where patients access comprehensive specialist care locally without traveling elsewhere out of necessity. 

He also thanked the twins’ parents for their trust and commended the medical team for proving that advanced solutions are possible within Nigeria.