BHUBANESWAR: Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena on Thursday visited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at New Delhi and met conjoined twins who are admitted there for a surgery.
Jena held discussion with Director of SGPGIMS of Department of Neurosurgery Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra and Prof Deepak Gupta on the steps taken for their treatment. While at least 30 doctors from various departments of the national health institute are conducting their health check ups, a number of tests including MRI, CT Scan and angiogram will be done on the twins on Friday.
The craniopagus conjoined twins of Milipada village in Kandhamal district were shifted to AIIMS on July 13. While the conjoined twins are uncommon occurring about every 2,00,000 births, craniopagus twins are the rarest form, accounting for about only two per cent.
Jena said the decision whether a surgery should be conducted to separate them can be taken only after all test reports are analysed properly. “The doctors will take the final call. The State Government would facilitate their treatment and provide all possible support,” he added.
The Health Minister was accompanied by Director of National Health Mission Shalini Pandit.