Conjoined Twins Separated Successfully in South Africa

A 31-year-old mother, of twins joined at the head, is over the moon after her babies were separated at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) in Cape Town. 

“I am overjoyed! I wasn’t expecting to leave here holding my children one in each arm,” said the elated mom, Ntombikayise Tyhalisi.

According to the Western Cape Health Department, Siphosethu and Amahle were born in the Eastern Cape and later transferred to the RCWMCH when they were four days old.

The conjoined twins successfully underwent separation surgery in February this year and are recovering well.

“A multi-disciplinary team, involving a full set for each twin was put together for this unique surgery. Each team comprised an anaesthetist, neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon and nurses,” said the provincial department.

RCWMCH’s Paediatric Neurosurgery Head, Professor Tony Figaji, said twins born joined at the head is a rare condition called craniopagus.

“Craniopagus twins occur approximately once in every 2.5 million live births worldwide. We were fortunate in this case that the connection did not involve any shared brain tissue and didn’t involve major [blood] vessels going from one twin to the other,” Figaji added.

Meanwhile, Plastic Surgery Head, Professor Saleigh Adams, told the department that the teams were prepared for a marathon surgery.

“We were prepared for a six-hour, at least, surgery. On this occasion, the surgery lasted all of one and a half hours. This is a huge plus for the recovery of the twins.”

The hospital’s acting CEO, Dr Anita Parbhoo, said: “We are proud of the entire multidisciplinary team involved in helping these twin patients – from the birthing team in the Eastern Cape and the referring clinicians, to our staff in the wards and theatre and then to those involved with the post-surgery care. A huge thank you to everyone”.

The hospital’s focus now turns to ensure the healthy healing of the surgical areas.

“Both patients and mom are doing well following the surgery and continue to receive follow-up care.”

 SAnews.gov.za

Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on Death Row in Indonesia,is Coming Home

Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina who has spent 14 years on death row in Indonesia, will be coming home but will stay behind bars for the immediate future after being transferred to the custody of Philippine authorities, officials said.

Read More

Trapped in Lebanon, African Migrants Face Unemployment and Rockets

Many of the estimated 176,000 migrants living in Lebanon are African women who are working menial jobs.Many of them have been displaced since the start of the conflict and are facing uncertain futures.

Read More

Permanent Representative of France Briefs Press After Security Council Meeting on Middle East

Nicolas de Rivière,Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, briefs reporters after the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Read More

The Impact on a Ukrainian Family During 1,000-Days of Russia’s War

This week marks 1,000 days of fighting in Ukraine.For millions of Ukrainians, including 32-year-old Oleh Reshetnyak and his loved ones in Kyiv, the mounting death toll, air raid sirens, and explosions have been a grim reality.

Read More

UN Security Council Meets to Discuss the Situation in Libya

James Kariuki,Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the Month of November, chairs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Libya.

Read More

Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Flee Bombs

Over half a million people, many of them were refugees who initially fled the Syrian conflict, have fled Lebanon into Syria in the last two months.According to those returning to Idlib, Syria’s last opposition stronghold, they are fleeing to a location that is marginally safer than Lebanon,without homes, jobs or humanitarian aid waiting for them.

Read More

AI Embraced by South African Universities,Seeing it as Equalizing Tool

Read More

For Malawi’s Poorest,World Bank Provides Climate Shock Assistance

The World Bank is helping Malawi’s most vulnerable communities in coping with the effects of the drought and storms that the country has been facing since 2022.Increased community involvement, according to participants, would result in more immediate program outcomes.

Read More