Under Directives from Saudi Arabia’s Leadership, Egyptian Conjoined Twins Arrives in Riyadh

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Under the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the 2-year-old Egyptian craniopagus conjoined twins “Salma and Sarah” arrived on 23 November 2021, with their parents at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh. The twins were immediately transported to King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs to undertake a full evaluation by the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme medical team in regard to the possibility of separation. 

Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, the head of the conjoined twins’ surgical team and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), expressed his thanks to the Kingdom’s leadership for this generous humanitarian gesture, which, he added, is a noble humanitarian initiative and part of the efforts of the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to alleviating the suffering of all in need, particularly children. He appreciated the important technical and logistical support that is always provided by the Ministry of National Guard. 

Abdul Ghani Hilal, the father of the twins, thanked the leadership of the Kingdom for the warm reception and hospitality. He also thanked the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme which has been recognized as a one of the world’s leading programmes in this type of surgery. 

Over the last three decades the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme  have reviewed 119 cases, which have been referred from 23 countries, and 50 sets of twins have been successfully separated.