In a remarkable feat of medical expertise, conjoined twins Nuha and Nuba have been successfully separated after a complex 15-hour surgery at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
This marks the first-ever successful separation of conjoined twins sharing a spine in Bangladesh.
The children, hailing from the northern district of Kurigram, are now recovering well under intensive care supervision, doctors said on Tuesday.
On Monday, a team of 100 medical professionals led by BSMMU Surgery Faculty Dean Prof Mohammad Hossain conducted the intricate operation.
Following the successful separation, Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen visited them at BSMMU on Tuesday.
"The babies are completely separated and doing well," he told journalists at a media briefing.
The health minister, also in the medical team, labelled the achievement as a significant breakthrough for Bangladesh healthcare.
In 2017, ten-month-old conjoined twins Tofa and Tahura fixed together at the spine and rectum were separated following a groundbreaking operation. Another conjoined twin girls Rabeya and Rukaiya returned home in 2021 following a series of successful operations for around three years.
Similar to those cases, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken responsibility for the cost of the twins' treatment.
The health minister said the PM is personally bearing all the expenses of their treatment.
Referring to a recent instance where a patient from Bhutan received treatment in Bangladesh, Dr Samanta Lal Sen said such advancements will lessen the need for Bangladeshis to seek medical care abroad.
BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Sharfuddin Ahmed also attended the briefing to share the medical details.
Nuha and Nuba were born conjoined at the spine on March 21, 2022, to Alamgir Rana and his wife Nasreen. They were admitted to BSMMU under Professor Hossain's care in April of the same year.
Soon after their story was published, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced funding for their surgery to separate the attached spine.
The first phase of their separation surgery was successfully performed on January 31, 2023, paving the way for the final separation on Monday.
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