黑料社区

Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso

Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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The Burkinabe twins at King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah led the team in the separation of the Burkinabe conjoined twins. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah led the team in the separation of the Burkinabe conjoined twins. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah led the team in the separation of the Burkinabe conjoined twins. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
Special Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
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Dr. Nezar Al-Zughaib, a member of the medical team in the separation of the Burkinabe conjoined twins. (AN Photo/Loai Elkelawy)
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Updated 03 March 2025

Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso

Saudi doctors operate on conjoined twins from Burkina Faso
  • Kingdom鈥檚 leading program has separated 61 pairs of conjoined twins from around the world
  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah: I am optimistic that we will achieve the successful separation and we will also mark the continuation of this ambitious global program

RIYADH: The Saudi Program for Separating Conjoined Twins began its 62nd operation this morning at the King Abdullah Specialist Children鈥檚 Hospital in Riyadh.

The twins, Awa (Hawa) and Kadidiata (Khadija) Dianda, first came to Riyadh on July 1 last year. They underwent diagnostic tests and screenings that revealed joining in the lower chest and abdomen, a shared pericardium (covering of the heart), liver and bowel.

A medical team of 26 specialists led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser to the royal court and general supervisor of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, began the operation in accordance with directives from the Saudi leadership.

The Saudi Program for Separating Conjoined Twins has been active for more than 34 years and has evaluated 146 cases of conjoined twins from 27 countries.

Speaking to Arab News, Al-Rabeeah said that in the case of the Diandas, extensive joining in the abdomen and chest convinced plastic surgeons to place tissue expanders (balloons under the skin) to expand the skin for three-and-a-half months before the operation.

The operation will be completed over five phases.

鈥淚 am optimistic that, God willing, we will be happy to achieve the successful separation with a success rate exceeding 80 percent and we will also mark the continuation of this ambitious and global program,鈥 Al-Rabeeah said.

The case was brought to the Kingdom鈥檚 attention after the Dianda family contacted the Saudi Embassy in Burkina Faso.

鈥淓very year we celebrate Nov. 24 as conjoined twin international day and this is because of what 黑料社区 has done to care for those twins,鈥 Al-Rabeeah said.

Each case of conjoined twins is different from the last; whichever organs or connected tissue are involved determines the difficulty of each case.

Al-Rabeeah classified the cases, generally, as either joined in the head (craniopagus), the chest (thoracopagus), abdomen (omphalopagus), pelvis (ischiopagus), or joined in the back (pygopagus).

Dr. Nezar Al-Zughaibi, one of the doctors on the Dianda medical team who has about 50 separation operations under his belt, spoke to Arab News about what goes through his mind before a procedure of this magnitude.

鈥淚t鈥檚 mixed feelings, between excitement, between anxiety. But the more you do of these cases, the more comfortable you feel,鈥 he said.

鈥淚鈥檓 working with a great team; Dr. Rabeeah is like our godfather. He just takes care of everybody on the team. We support each other.鈥

Once the children are separated, the hospital erupts into a cheerful and joyous atmosphere, especially after seeing the happy tears on the parents鈥 faces, Al-Zughaibi said.

Twins are cared for by the program before and after the operation, as Al-Rabeeah said that follow-up care can be just as, or more important, than the operation itself.

鈥淭he first set (of twins) that we have done, we are still following them 鈥 twins who have now exceeded 35 years of age,鈥 he said.

鈥淚t is a lifelong follow-up.鈥

Al-Zughaibi said that sometimes 鈥 especially for those that stay longer 鈥 patients form long-term friendships and even familial bonds with the medical staff.

Physical and psychological rehabilitation are both required, including counseling for the families.

And in some cases, prosthetic fittings with the proper physical care and cosmetic surgeries could be needed.

Amid the wait for the results of the latest operation, Al-Zughaibi and the staff are hopeful of a positive result.

鈥淚 always say each case has its own identity and its own risks and surprises. But for now, this is going smoothly and we鈥檒l keep our fingers crossed it will continue as is,鈥 he said.


King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as advisor to the Saudi Royal Court

King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as advisor to the Saudi Royal Court
Updated 09 July 2025

King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as advisor to the Saudi Royal Court

King Salman appoints Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as advisor to the Saudi Royal Court
  • Al-Fayyad has been executive general supervisor at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre since 2017
  • He graduated in 1990 from King Saud University鈥檚 medical school and has amassed decades of clinical, academic and administrative experience

JEDDAH: In a royal order issued on Wednesday, King Salman appointed Dr. Majid Al-Fayyad as an advisor to the Saudi Royal Court.

Al-Fayyad is the executive general supervisor at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, which has facilities in Riyadh, Madinah and Jeddah. He graduated in 1990 from the medical school at King Saud University in Riyadh, and has amassed decades of clinical, academic and administrative experience.

In the US, he undertook specialized training in pediatrics at Tufts University, and in pediatric cardiology at Columbia University. He holds several certifications and degrees, including a master鈥檚 in medical administration awarded by the University of Southern California in 2015.

He was appointed in 2017 to his current position at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, where he has helped spearhead key reforms to the Saudi healthcare sector. He has also played important roles in national healthcare committees and initiatives, earning recognition for his contributions to research and administration.


Saudi deputy FM receives UK ambassador in Riyadh

Saudi deputy FM receives UK ambassador in Riyadh
Updated 09 July 2025

Saudi deputy FM receives UK ambassador in Riyadh

Saudi deputy FM receives UK ambassador in Riyadh

Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi was visited by UK Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The ambassador visited to bid farewell on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the Kingdom, the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.

Al-Rassi praised the ambassador鈥檚 efforts in strengthening and advancing relations between the two countries.


Riyadh museum to host interactive camp for kids

Riyadh museum to host interactive camp for kids
Updated 09 July 2025

Riyadh museum to host interactive camp for kids

Riyadh museum to host interactive camp for kids

JEDDAH: The National Museum in Riyadh will launch its third interactive summer camp, themed 鈥淢ade in the Museum,鈥 for children aged 10 to 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The initiative is part of the 鈥淵ear of Handicrafts,鈥 celebrating 黑料社区鈥檚 cultural heritage and its role in shaping national identity and intergenerational bonds.

The camp has two sessions: July 21-31 and Aug. 4-14, running daily from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., both inside the museum and outdoors.

Designed as an educational and immersive experience, the camp invites participants to explore and revive traditional Saudi crafts, the SPA added.

Children will engage in hands-on activities in four core tracks: clay crafts, textiles, woodworking, and supportive crafts, blending play, learning, and exploration.

This year鈥檚 camp strengthens the museum鈥檚 role as a community hub, providing children with opportunities to develop critical thinking and design skills while inspiring their imagination and showing the cultural and economic importance of handicrafts.

The camp encourages children to make and show their projects at the end of each session, helping them feel confident and encouraging new ideas and creativity.


Riyadh hospital succeeds in rare disease treatment

Riyadh hospital succeeds in rare disease treatment
Updated 09 July 2025

Riyadh hospital succeeds in rare disease treatment

Riyadh hospital succeeds in rare disease treatment
  • The hospital has provided 22 years of care for a patient with a rare genetic blood clotting disorder, culminating in a successful liver transplant 鈥 the first worldwide for this condition

RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh has provided 22 years of care for a patient with a rare genetic blood clotting disorder, culminating in a successful liver transplant 鈥 the first worldwide for this condition.

Diagnosed in infancy with congenital plasminogen deficiency, the patient required ongoing treatment to manage fibrous deposits affecting her tissues and organs, according to a press release.

Over the two decades, a multidisciplinary team including hematology, transplant specialists, nursing, nutrition and IT supported her care, the report said.

The patient鈥檚 father said: 鈥淪he suffered from birth and couldn鈥檛 nurse. We had no clear answers until we found hope through the care provided by the Saudi government. After 22 years of struggle, we witness our daughter鈥檚 recovery.鈥

The treatment involved regular plasminogen infusions and eyedrops to reduce the disease鈥檚 effect on her vision, with annual costs exceeding SR6 million ($1.6 million), fully covered by the government.

Dr. Hazzaa Al-Zahrani, director of the adult hematology and stem-cell transplant division at the center and supervising physician, said that managing the case required a precise and long-term approach to prevent complications and ensure stability.

He said that the decision to proceed with a liver transplant came after careful consideration as an extraordinary therapeutic option for this exceptionally rare case.

The procedure鈥檚 success marked a turning point in her medical journey and was a beacon of hope for patients with similar conditions worldwide, Al-Zahrani added.


Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy

Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy
Updated 09 July 2025

Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy

Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy

RIYADH: The Small and Medium Enterprises Loan Guarantee Program, known as Kafalah, in collaboration with the Riyadh Chamber, will hold interactive sessions on July 15 to mark World Youth Skills Day.

The initiative aims to raise awareness and develop entrepreneurial skills among youth, entrepreneurs and SMEs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The sessions will cover key topics to boost youth contributions to national economic development, in line with the Kingdom鈥檚 Vision 2030 reform plan.

Focus areas include access to finance, building administrative and financial capabilities, enhancing SME sustainability, and turning ideas into viable projects.

These sessions highlight the collaboration between entities supporting the SME sector in the Kingdom, the SPA added.

The Kafalah program and Riyadh Chamber aim to foster youth growth and strengthen their role in the national economy.

Kafalah supports micro, small and medium enterprises by providing financial guarantees, improving their access to financing and reducing lending risks for banks.