Fijian Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh for Possible Separation Surgery
Two 10-month-old girls from Fiji, conjoined from below the sternum to the pelvis, have been admitted to a Riyadh children’s hospital where doctors will evaluate a separation operation.
Two ten-month-old Fijian sisters, Jesibel and Desisia, arrived in Riyadh in late July for assessment at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital. The twins are joined from below the sternum down to the pelvis, and a multidisciplinary team will decide if a separation surgery can be performed. Saudi Arabia’s Conjoined Twins Program, established in 1990, boasts a record of 72 successful separations involving patients from 28 countries across five continents.
Earlier in the year the program completed operations on twins from Morocco, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Tanzania. The Saudi government covers all medical expenses as well as travel and lodging for the families. Long-term benefits are highlighted by the example of Polish twins Olga and Daria, who returned to Riyadh 21 years after a successful separation there.
Why it matters
The case showcases Saudi Arabia’s role in providing complex, government-funded medical care to international patients.
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