RIYADH — The surgical separation of Filipino conjoined twins—Olivia and Gianna—has been successful, adding another golden feather in the cap of the success stories of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program (SCTP).The specialized medical and surgical team of SCTP carried out the operation at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital (KASCH) in King Abdulaziz Medical City of the Ministry of National Guard in Riyadh on Sunday.Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) and head of the surgical team Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said that the surgical separation procedure was carried out with the participation of 22 consultants, specialists, and nursing and technical staff members to ensure the highest levels of precision and safety throughout all stages of the operation."Thanks to God Almighty and the efforts of my colleagues on the medical and surgical team, the separation of the Filipino twins Olivia and Gianna was successfully completed six hours after the operation began,” he said.Dr. Al Rabeeah noted that the twins were joined at the chest and abdomen and shared a liver and possibly part of the intestines. “One of the twins suffered from congenital heart defects that posed a significant health risk,” he said.According to Dr. Al-Rabeeah, this operation marks the fourth separation of conjoined twins from the Philippines and the 72nd procedure performed under SCTP, which has a 35-year history spanning 28 countries across five continents and has evaluated 158 cases from around the world. Dr. Al Rabeeah noted that this medical achievement reflects the humanitarian commitment of the Kingdom's leadership and its dedication to providing assistance to people wherever they may be. “It also demonstrates Saudi Arabia's medical excellence, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 to develop the Kingdom's healthcare sector and enhance its quality and efficiency,” he said. On behalf of himself and all members of the medical and surgical team, Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed his gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support and patronage of SCTP. This support has enabled the Saudi medical team to provide the highest standards of specialized healthcare, improve the quality of life of beneficiary children and their families, and enhance the Kingdom's position in humanitarian and medical work,” he added. The twins' family expressed their gratitude to King Salman and the Crown Prince for the high-quality medical care provided to the twins and praised the extensive efforts made by the medical team to ensure the success of the operation.
