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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The medical team from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital that conducted a successful separation of conjoined twins in March has been recognized once again, this time by the Ministry of Health.
A team of medics led by Dr Joseph Epodoi, the consultant surgeon successfully separated conjoined twins comprising one live twin and another dead twin. The twin girls had been delivered by caesarean birth at Amuria district hospital to Joyce Alinga, a resident of Aujongor village, Obalanga sub county in Kapelebyong district.
But one of them died moments after birth and remained attached to the sister for six days. During the time, doctors at Amuria health centre IV referred them to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, from where they were sent to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where according to reports, they were never attended to, forcing them to return to Soroti.
Dr Joseph Epodoi, the consultant surgeon at Soroti hospital then spearheaded the operation after establishing that there was a layer of living cells separating the babies and that the twins were surviving on different body organs. The operation which was initially labelled risky and impossible was eventually successful to the amazement of the entire country.
On Friday morning, Soroti Regional Referral Hospital conducted a function to recognize the efforts by Dr Epodoi and the team of 13 other medics for successfully conducting the specialized operation. During the function, both the hospital board and the Ministry of Health awarded certificates of recognition to the team.
Hellen Adoa, the State Minister for Fisheries who represented the Ministers of Health said that the Soroti team exhibited a high level of commitment to save the child, now named after Dr Epodoi.
Joyce Alinga, the mother of the child commended the efforts of Soroti medics in saving her child. She notes that after the children were returned from Mulago National Referral Hospital, her hopes for the survival of the living child faded but the medics performed wonders in conducting a very complicated operation.
The surviving twin who now weighs 2.1 kilograms is reported to be in good health according to Dr Michael Muwanga, the hospital director. He added that the baby will soon be discharged from the hospital after completing the required health management.
Early this month, the Parliament of Uganda paid special tribute to the medics in a special plenary session that lasted more than three hours.
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