Separated siamese twins turn six today

Beads of sweat trickle down his face as he trots towards the shade followed by his brother. He quickly reaches for a bag made out Kitengi fabric and picks a green plastic bottle containing obushera (kinyankole traditional drink made out of millet flour.)

He quickly swallows the cold drink to quench his thirst before he turns to feed his brother on the remaining content.

Yes that is Trevor. He is generous and loving.  He cannot eat or drink anything without sharing with his brother Timothy, narrates Rosette Tusiime the mother of the boys who has been watching them play.

After energizing themselves, the pair abandons the empty bottle and resumes their game affair. Timothy is the first to go; he somersault and then his bother imitates. Seconds later they are rolling in grass chuckling.

Seeing the two vibrant boys play normally, it is hard to believe that just a few of years ago, the twins were born conjoined.

Today is their sixth birthday.

Timothy Twinomugisha and Trevor Beinomugisha were born on 10th June 2011 in Kabale regional hospital in south western Uganda to Denis Owomugisha and Rosette Tusiime.  Today morning it was a different ball game as the two big boys played at the Sheraton gardens under the watch of their parents and the writer.

Their journey to separation started with relocation from Kabale regional hospital to Mulago hospital in Kampala. On the 13th of November 2011 they were flown to Wadi Elyni hospital in Cairo, Egypt where successful specialized surgery was undertaken to separate them. They are the second set of Ugandan Siamese twins to be separated successfully.

How conjoined twins come about

According to Dr. Charles Kiggundu senior consultant gynecologist/obstetrician working with Mulago hospital, conjoined twins originate from identical twins meaning they are a result of one fertilized egg.

 Dr Kiggundu says for successful separation, cell division should start after seven days and should be complete within 14 days. Any division beginning after two weeks leads to incomplete separation which results into co-joined or Siamese twins.

" In this case the babies end up joined at certain parts and sharing some vital organs for example liver, heart or the brain and become conjoined," he affirms explains.

Details of the story to be continued in next week's Sunday Vision.