Conjoined twins die at Bara

May 11, 2011 | Sapa-AP-Sowetan Live | 522 comments

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The conjoined twins born at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital last year have died, Gauteng health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe has disclosed.

“I have been saddened by this unexpected turn of events. We were all looking forward to the separation of these babies and we were full of hope that it would be successful,” she said, conveying her condolences to the family.

The twins died at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital on Friday, after developing pneumonia.

They were born in November last year, and doctors had been waiting for them to develop sufficiently before they could be separated.

“The babies had been developing well and were briefly transferred to Klerksdorp Hospital to be nearer to their parents.” They were brought back to Chris Hani Baragwanath a week later after developing a chest infection, she said.

They were kept on ventilation until they passed away.

The doctors and nurses who attended to the babies from their birth had been saddened by this loss, Mekgwe said.

Offering his condolences to the family, the DA's health spokesman Jack Bloom today also paid tribute to the medical team.

"We had hoped they would live, but it was not to be," he said. "I know that doctors and nurses at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital did their best to save the conjoined twins that were born there six months ago.

"Rest in peace, Reamokgetswe and Tiroyaone."

Meanwhile, a hospital in southwestern China says conjoined twin baby girls with a single body and two heads have been born at its facility.

A staffer surnamed Wang at the Suining City Central Hospital in Sichuan province says the girls were born Thursday.

Wang said this week that the parents, who are farmers, did not want to have the babies at first, fearing they could not afford to keep them alive. She said they transferred the twins to a hospital in the nearby metropolis of Chongqing to be examined by experts.

According to the local Huaxi Metropolis Daily, the twins weighed 9 pounds (4 kilograms) and measured 20 inches (51 centimeters).

They have two spines, two esophaguses and share other organs.

Doctors were quoted as saying it would be nearly impossible to separate them.

Comments

May 11, 2011

candilious

My sincere condolences to the family.
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May 11, 2011

MtshepaRepa

I wonder the problem could be, is it the perants eating incorrectly.....is it fate.....is it ???????? Lord comfort these families. Amen
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May 11, 2011

tpaz

Better, at least they shall suffer no more pain. The trauma to the parents is gone.

@MtshepaRepa......it is genetic mutation gone wrong will the eggs have been fertilized and the fail to separate in the womb.

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