Martins Ifijeh
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has paid a visit to the initially cojoined twins, who were separated recently by a team of Eight Surgeons at the University Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Speaking to journalists during the visit, the minister commended the team of surgeons led by Dr. Olori Sampson, for successfully separating the twins whose livers were joined at birth, and the management staff of the hospital for maintaining a well-equipped theatre which provided the enabling environment for the success story.
Adewole appreciated the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, for his cash donation to the family through the Aisha Children Foundation, and the hospital management for writing off their medical bills.
He advised the surgeons and supporting staff to manage the case well until the twins were fit considering the critical nature and potential complications that may arise.
The minister pledged that the federal government would build an isolation ward at the hospital and provide any additional support as might be required by the hospital so that patients from the environs and other parts of the country could access quality health care service at the facility without having to travel too far.
He further advised the management of the hospital to advertise their achievements; this, he said would enable the public know what services could be accessed within the country, stem medical tourism and encourage healthy competition amongst health facilities.
In his response, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Bissallah Ekele, appreciated the efforts of the government for ensuring that the standard of service rendered in the hospital was up to date by providing necessary equipment at the hospital.
He however appealed for more support for the Hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit and for additional infrastructure in order to move the 350-bed hospital to a 450-bed facility.
The mother of the twins, Mrs. Courage Buzugbe, appreciated the minister for his visit; Dogara for his donation and the management of the hospital for writing off her bills.
