Siamese twins can now breastfeed-doctor

By Flavia Nakagwa

THE Siamese twins delivered last week at Kibuli Muslim Hospital, can now recognise each other and play as they breastfeed for the first time, a doctor has said.

The babies are in the isolation ward of Mulago Hospital.

Dr. Birabwa Male, the senior consultant paediatric surgeon monitoring them, yesterday said the week-olds were growing up well.

“When they wake up, they embrace. They are very active and aware of each other because they tend to do things at the same time, which is interesting.”

She told The New Vision at the Mulago paediatric ward that the team of surgeons was still examining the babies.

“We don’t separate conjoined twins early. We can do it in six weeks after everything has been put in place. It’s not an emergency,” Birabwa explained.

“And many times, we think we should leave them like that because God wants them that way.”

The twins’ mother, Sauda Nakazibwe, said she was enjoying each day of bonding with my babies.

“They are happy and active. I thank God for each day of their progress.”

Birabwa recalled that globally, some Siamese twins had grown up conjoined, others were successfully separated and some live conjoined.

“I have been at Mulago since 1994, I have seen five sets of Siamese twins. There is a 10-year old boy from Iganga, who survived the operation in South Africa.”