CUTTACK: The SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) has made elaborate arrangements to treat separated conjoined twins Jaga-Balia who have been discharged from All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi. The twins are scheduled to be admitted to SCBMCH on Saturday. Two cabins have been readied in the hospital for the twins. While a cabin with ICU facility has been created in the Casualty ward near Trauma care unit, another general one has been kept ready in Surgery department.
Hospital sources said the condition of the twins will be assessed first and later, they will be accommodated as per their needs. “As we are unaware of their present health status, their accommodation will be decided only after their arrival and examination by a team of doctors,” said SCBMCH Superintendent CBK Mohanty.
A 14-member team comprising specialists from Neurosurgery, Neurology, Surgery, GI Surgery, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery and Anesthesiology departments have been formed to provide necessary treatment to the twins, he said. Superintendent of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP) Prof SK Satapathy, SCBMCH Emergency Medical Officer Dr BN Moharana, Store Medical Officer, Hospital Manager, physiotherapist and physician have been included in the team which will be headed by Head of Neurosurgery department Prof Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra.
“The guidelines and treatment procedure will be decided after discussion with the accompanying doctors from AIIMS,” said Mohanty. The team of doctors will be further modified if necessitated. On Friday, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Health department Dr Pramod Kumar Meherda inspected and reviewed the special arrangements at SCBMCH.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan expressed happiness on return of the separated twins to Odisha. In a series of tweets, the Union Minister said, “Heartening to see little Jaga & Balia returning safely to their Odisha home after successful surgery at AIIMS Delhi. My blessings to them for a long & healthy life!”Likening the twins to the moon landing, he said while Jaga and Balia will step foot on their land on September 7, India’s Chandrayaan-II will reach the moon the same day. “Like our scientists, we are proud of our doctors who created history by separating the conjoined twins,” he stated.