Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola, has successfully carried out a surgical operation to separate conjoined twins at the hospital facility on Monday.
The procedure is the sixth in a series of conjoined twin separation surgeries carried out at the hospital, but the first since the upgrade of the medical facility to a teaching hospital.
The head of the surgical team and former Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Auwal Abubakar, said his team conducted a three-hour surgical operation on the conjoined twins, attributing the success to the expertise of the professionals and the up-to-date facilities available, which made the medical procedure easier.
Professor Abubakar explained that the twins were joined through the abdominal region of their bodies at birth, which prompted the parents to report the condition to the hospital.
The parents of the conjoined twins are from Taraba State and came to Yola through a referral.
Prof. Auwal added that the patients were kept under observation for some time while research was conducted on the case before the separation surgery was eventually carried out by a 35-member medical team.
He also confirmed that the twins have been taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the affected parts to heal gradually.
He commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for providing the Centre of Excellence, where state-of-the-art medical equipment has been installed for healthcare delivery services to the public, stressing that the surgery for the conjoined twins was carried out free of charge.
In his remarks, the father of the separated twins, Shuaibu Jibrin, expressed appreciation for the support extended to him in accessing the surgery at no cost.
Jibrin narrated that he married his wife in February 2025, and she became pregnant nine months into their marriage. However, the delivery of the conjoined twins came with complications, and they were delivered through a caesarean section (C-section) at Jatau Health Facility in the Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Jibrin, whose wife died after the delivery, said he was advised to come to Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola, for the required medical services, which he did, and has been receiving free treatment since arriving at the hospital five months ago.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Adamu G. Bakari, assured the public that the hospital is accessible and equipped with qualified staff and modern equipment for healthcare delivery.
Professor Bakari confirmed that the Federal Government has installed the necessary equipment for excellent service delivery, noting that proper maintenance of the facilities is guaranteed under his leadership.
The surgical operation was televised live by the hospital’s Public Relations Unit to the admiration of limited staff, invited journalists and a few members of the public.