MAUTH Yola successfully separates conjoined twins in sixth historic surgery
Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital Successfully Separates Conjoined Twins
YOLA, Nigeria — The Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH) achieved a significant medical milestone on Monday by successfully separating conjoined twins. This marks the sixth successful separation procedure in the hospital’s history, which was previously known as the Federal Medical Centre.
The twins, both boys, were four months and two weeks old at the time of the separation, which occurred on Monday afternoon. The surgery lasted approximately three hours and was led by Professor Abubakar Auwal, a specialist in pediatric surgery. He noted that this was the sixth successful separation performed by the hospital’s surgical team, which has extensive experience in this area.
“They were joined at the abdominal region, but the team successfully separated them,” Professor Auwal explained. He also mentioned that in addition to the successful separations at MAUTH, the team had previously conducted two similar surgeries at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
MAUTH transitioned from a Federal Medical Centre to a teaching hospital in 2022, with the aim of providing high-quality healthcare and serving as a training facility for medical students from Modibbo Adama University in Yola.
Professor Auwal emphasized that the hospital is equipped to handle critical pediatric cases, allowing patients to receive world-class care locally, eliminating the need for overseas travel.
The recent surgery was conducted at no cost to the family, thanks to funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which has supported pediatric surgery initiatives at the hospital. Dr. Salihu Bakari, TETFund Director of the Centre for Excellence, noted that MAUTH is among 30 centers nationwide receiving significant investment.
“I am very happy because this is exactly why the center was established, to give ordinary people world-class medical attention locally,” he said.
Professor Adamu Bakari, Chief Medical Director of MAUTH, commended the medical team for their efforts and highlighted the hospital’s status as a TETFund center of excellence for pediatric surgery. He remarked that patients from various regions in Nigeria now seek treatment at MAUTH for complex procedures, including conjoined twin separation.
Shuaibu Jibir, the father of the twins from Taraba State, expressed his gratitude for the care his sons received. He revealed that his wife, the twins’ mother, passed away shortly after giving birth.
