OFFICIALS of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) are beaming, having played a pivotal role in the care of conjoined twins Azaria and Azora Elson, who are now at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for separation surgery.

The twins left Jamaica on July 27 on a flight that lasted 18 hours from Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston to Riyadh, setting a new international record as the world’s longest medical evacuation, which has been hailed a remarkable achievement.

Saudi Medevac operated the flight, with Dr Mostafa Hassan leading the medical team, ensuring the safe transport of the twins and their mother Iesha McMurray.

This reflects the collaborative effort between UHWI and international medical institutions to address the complex medical needs of the twins.

The conjoined twins were diagnosed in pregnancy at Victoria Jubilee Maternity Hospital and UHWI accepted their mother for further care in its High-Risk Pregnancy Unit.

At 35 weeks gestation, a Caesarian section delivery was performed by Dr Nadine Johnson and Dr Tiffany Hunter-Greaves.

The babies were resuscitated at birth by neonatologists Dr Blondel Crosdale and Professor Minerva Thame.

After spending their first eight months in UHWI’s Newborn Special Care Unit and 11 months of subsequent multidisciplinary care on UHWI’s general paediatrics ward, the twins have received consistent medical support throughout their lives.

Professor of paediatrics at The University of the West Indies and senior consultant paediatrician at UHWI Celia Christie-Samuels, affirmed the hospital’s commitment to providing comprehensive care for these unique patients.

“From the moment we were alerted to the twins’ condition, our multidisciplinary team was mobilised to ensure the best possible support for them and their family. It has been our priority to secure a suitable solution for their surgical separation,” said Christie-Samuels, who was a speaker in the inaugural informative two-day International Conference to celebrate ‘World Conjoined Twins Day’ last year, where she was formally invited to advocate on behalf of the twins.

“This advocacy has borne great fruit, as evidenced by the progress we are witnessing now in Riyadh,” added Christie-Samuels.

The twins, now 19 months old, face numerous medical challenges as omphalopagus conjoined twins.

They are joined at their liver and have been under continuous observation, treatment, and care at UHWI since their birth.

“Both girls have shown remarkable resilience in the face of significant health challenges, and now, with the support of our international partners, they are on the brink of receiving the life-saving surgical intervention they urgently need.

“This happened in collaboration with a multidisciplinary medical conference between UHWI specialists and the Saudi Conjoined Twins Separation Team to plan their care,” underscored Christie-Samuels.

Through the collaborative efforts of UHWI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, represented by Senator Kamina Johnson Smith and Permanent Secretary Sheila Sealy-Monteith, a direct line of communication was established with King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS Relief) in Saudi Arabia.

The centre, led by Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, coordinates the Conjoined Twins Separation Programme which, on the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, made the medical evacuation of the twins possible.

This world-renowned centre, which has World Health Organization approval, has now surgically separated 66 conjoined twins.

Chief executive officer of UHWI Fitzgerald Mitchell expressed gratitude for the support received from both local and international partners.

“This operation symbolises the incredible potential of collaborative care. We could not have achieved this without the hard work and dedication of our medical staff and the invaluable assistance of our partners in Saudi Arabia and their embassies in Washington, DC, and Cuba,” said Mitchell.

The UWI and UHWI have been at the forefront of their care, with contributions from multiple specialists, including Dr Jillian Lewis, neonatologist; Dr Simone Dundas-Byles, head of paediatric surgery; Dr Yomi Olugbuyi, paediatric cardiologist; Professor Celia Christie, paediatrics and infectious diseases; Sister Hendricks-Garcia, nursing; and many others.

Azaria and Azora are among the first from the Americas and Caribbean to be offered surgical separation through the specialised programme at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital.

Azaria and Azora Elson, and their mother Iesha McMurray (left), with officials from King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) and the Ministry of National Guard arriving at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Saudi Arabia on July 28. (Photo: KSrelief)