Surviving twin transferred to Pta hospital

The Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria. (Photo: ANA)

The surviving baby of the conjoined twins who were recently successfully separated at the Mankweng Hospital in Limpopo has been transferred to a hospital in Pretoria.

The twin boys were born on 28 January in the Maphutha Malatjie Hospital in Namakgale and shortly afterwards transferred to the Mankweng Hospital. The boys, who were attached to each other by their chests, were successfully separated from each other on March 17 after an operation lasting more than seven hours.

However, the one boy died on Friday after complications that followed the extremely complicated separation operation. According to the medical team, after the operation both babies developed severe sepsis – a serious infection that can affect multiple organs. Despite intensive treatment, including antibiotics and support in the intensive care unit, the baby succumbed to multiple organ failure.

The surviving boy was meanwhile transferred by helicopter to the Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria on Saturday. The decision was taken by the clinical team, in consultation with the Premier of Limpopo, Dr. Phophi Ramathuba, and the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi.

“While the loss of Twin A affected everyone, the team at Mankweng Hospital was understandably deeply affected, therefore it was critical to allow another team in a different and protected environment to continue with care,” the Limpopo government said in a statement.

Motsoaledi expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the twins on the loss of one baby.

The minister also praised the exceptional work of the multidisciplinary team at Mankweng Hospital. He promised the family that the surviving baby would continue to receive the highest level of medical care, and that the department would continue to closely monitor the child’s condition.