Saudi Arabia conjoined twins separation program

[Abu3baid]

NY Times Piece

I have to admit that I tested up a couple times especially at the end.

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The operation, on March 26, was part of a long-running Saudi program to separate conjoined twins who come from poor families around the world. Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the surgeon who leads the program, said that since 1990 it had performed 40 procedures for families from 20 countries — on three continents — who could not otherwise afford the costly operations. That included 34 separations like Fatima and Mishal’s; two “sacrifice” operations, as Dr. Rabeeah described them, in which an ailing twin was removed so the other could live; and four that excised extra body parts from individual children.

 

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Then, for the first time in their lives, the girls were placed on separate beds. The team sewed them up, and plastic surgeons gave each one a belly button. Once stabilized, the girls were wheeled into a hallway to meet their parents, a crowd of well-wishers, the Pakistani ambassador and a local television crew that was broadcasting live.

“You can kiss them,” Dr. Rabeeah said.

Mr. Ghani did, then stepped back, bowed down and pressed his forehead to the tile in thanks.