Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • MTN supports AU Covid-19 vaccination rollout with $25m donation

  • As cases surge, Nigeria slams 6-month jail term on violators of covid protocols

  • Egypt says no reports of serious side-effects from Chinese vaccine used for vaccination

  • Published data shows lab-created antibodies may cut deaths, reduce exposure to COVID-19

  • Why you must avoid pain relievers before getting a COVID vaccine-Experts

News Now
Home›News Now›Conjoined twins survive gruelling journey to separation

Conjoined twins survive gruelling journey to separation

By alternativeafrica
October 16, 2017
716
0
Share:
After surgery, the twins were flown back to VangaImage copyright Jacklyn Reierson, MAF
Image caption The family lives in a remote village in western Democratic Republic of Congo, in Africa

Conjoined twins born in a remote village in the Democratic Republic of Congo have survived a 15-hour journey on the back of a motorbike to be separated.

They were then flown to the capital, Kinshasa, where they were operated on by a team of volunteer surgeons.

In total, the one-week-old girls had to endure an 870-mile (1,400km) round trip across jungle, on treacherous roads and by air.

The twins are now being monitored.

The babies – Anick and Destin – will return to their village in three weeks. They were born at 37 weeks in August, were joined at the navel, and did not share any internal organs.

Image copyright Jacklyn Reierson, MAF
Image caption Conjoined twin girls Anick and Destin survived their birth before being separated

About one in every 200,000 live births results in conjoined twins and their survival is never certain, especially in remote areas where no medical help is available.

But to the astonishment of doctors, these twins were born naturally in the village of Muzombo, in the west of the African country.

Realising that the babies needed surgery, their parents Claudine Mukhena and Zaiko Munzadi wrapped the babies in a blanket and set off on an epic journey through jungle to their nearest hospital in Vanga.

Without the equipment or experience to carry out the complex separation surgery in the small hospital, doctors transferred them to a hospital in Kinshasa more than 300 miles away.

Image copyright Jacklyn Reierson, MAF
Image caption An emergency plane flew the family to the capital city for surgery

To get there, the family was flown by MAF, a humanitarian airline which operates in remote regions, rather than risk another long journey over dangerous roads.

Dr Junior Mudji, who is now caring for them at Vanga Evangelical Hospital, said he was delighted.

“At 37 weeks, conjoined twins born naturally – it’s unheard of,” he said.

“They are doing fine, they sleep well and eat well. In general, they are doing well.

“We will keep them here for three more weeks to be sure everything is normal.”

Dr Mudji believes the operation was the first to separate conjoined twins in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

SHARE ON:
TagsAfricaBreakingNews
Previous Article

Liberia election: Weah and Boakai headed for ...

Next Article

Mogadishu: Somalis protest against al-Shabab

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • AfricaBusinessHealthNews NowWorld

    World Health Organisation hit by racism, sexism allegation against African staff

    January 19, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • BusinessNews Now

    Angola: Signs of a new trajectory

    January 8, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    Social media crackdown stifles dissent in Pakistan

    November 24, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Swansea City: Wilfried Bony ‘will have point to prove’ against Manchester City

    December 11, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Romelu Lukaku: Man United striker to take legal advice over voodoo claim

    January 10, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    Nigeria to auction N70 billion bonds

    December 12, 2018
    By alternativeafrica

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • AfricaBusinessNews NowTechnology

    US agency to finance 2,500MW nuclear plant in South Africa

  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    Nigeria to float another N100bn Sukuk Bond to finance infrastructure-DMO

  • AfricaHealthNews Now

    Nigeria: “We will make NHIS panel report public” Boss Mustapha

Timeline

  • January 28, 2021

    MTN supports AU Covid-19 vaccination rollout with $25m donation

  • January 28, 2021

    As cases surge, Nigeria slams 6-month jail term on violators of covid protocols

  • January 28, 2021

    Egypt says no reports of serious side-effects from Chinese vaccine used for vaccination

  • January 28, 2021

    Published data shows lab-created antibodies may cut deaths, reduce exposure to COVID-19

  • January 28, 2021

    Why you must avoid pain relievers before getting a COVID vaccine-Experts

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Nigeria: 32,000 capacity Lagos rice mill to start production in 2020

    By alternativeafrica
    December 23, 2019
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail – Future agricultures
    on
    October 16, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail - The Zimbabwean
    on
    October 12, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • MTN supports AU Covid-19 vaccination rollout with $25m donation

    By alternativeafrica
    January 28, 2021
  • As cases surge, Nigeria slams 6-month jail term on violators of covid protocols

    By alternativeafrica
    January 28, 2021
  • Egypt says no reports of serious side-effects from Chinese vaccine used for vaccination

    By alternativeafrica
    January 28, 2021
  • Published data shows lab-created antibodies may cut deaths, reduce exposure to COVID-19

    By alternativeafrica
    January 28, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail – Future agricultures
    on
    October 16, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • The return of fortress conservation: why excluding people means biodiversity conservation will fail - The Zimbabwean
    on
    October 12, 2020

    Inside the training camp of Akashinga, Zimbabwe’s armed, all-women anti-poaching rangers

    […] In parallel to ...
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.