ANKARA: A dedicated team of 60 medical professionals in Ankara, Turkey, successfully separated 11-month-old conjoined twins from Pakistan during a complex two-stage surgery that lasted approximately 14 hours.
The twin girls, Mirha and Minal, were born with their heads fused. After their family faced challenges in finding appropriate treatment in Pakistan, their plea for help reached Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
London-based pediatric neurosurgeon Owase Jeelani, who learned of the twins’ situation, contacted Erdogan, who assured that they would receive medical care in Turkey. The girls arrived in Ankara in May and were placed under the attentive care of Bilkent City Hospital.
The surgical team, led by Jeelani and including Turkish surgeons Dr. Harun Demirci and Dr. Hasan Murat Ergani, successfully completed the final stage of the separation surgery on July 19. Dr. Aziz Ahmet Surel, chief physician at the hospital, praised the teamwork and knowledge exchange between the Turkish and British teams, expressing his joy at the twins’ recovery. “Seeing these babies healthy and smiling after their initial condition is beyond words,” Surel told Anadolu.
Namik Yasar Ozbek, head of the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department, emphasized the collaborative effort behind the operation, noting that the twins are thriving post-surgery. “They are now using their hands and gaining control of their heads. They will celebrate their first birthdays separately in just ten days,” he stated.
Dr. Ergani explained the two-part surgical procedure, detailing that a tissue expansion was performed before the separation to mitigate any tissue deficiency issues. The separation itself required meticulous planning to avoid complications. “When the babies were finally separated, the entire medical team applauded—it was an unforgettable moment,” Ergani added.
The twins’ parents, Rehan Ali and Nazia Parveen, expressed heartfelt gratitude to President Erdogan and the medical team. They shared that their initial attempts to find treatment in Pakistan were unsuccessful until they connected with Jeelani, who facilitated their treatment in Turkey. “We are incredibly thankful to everyone who helped. We hope to meet President Erdogan and personally thank him,” Ali said.
Jeelani emphasized the importance of global collaboration, highlighting Turkey’s role in making the surgery possible. “This is a story of how the world should come together to help children in need,” he stated, praising Turkey, the Ministry of Health, and the medical staff for their support and calling the successful surgery an example of global unity and cooperation.