The National leadership of The Muslim Congress (TMC) has lauded the Federal Government and the surgical team made up of Nigerian Doctors that successfully separated conjoined twins at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Speaking through the Amir (President) of the Congress, Dr Lukman AbdurRaheem, at her quarterly State of the Nation address held in Lagos over the weekend, the group said the giant stride would bring an end to medical tourism outside the country.

The successful surgical operation was carried out on November 14, 2019 by a team of 78 Nigerian doctors in an operation that lasted for 12 hours but details have only just been made public by the hospital, because they wanted to ensure there were no post surgery complications.

The twins, Mercy and Goodness Martins were born conjoined August 14, 2019 with one liver, a protruding tummy and a lower chest.

Speaking to members of the press, Dr AbdurRaheem ably represented by the National Secretary, Alhaji Abdul Wasi Bamgbala, commended the Federal Government and the doctors for the successful surgery.

The Amir quoted the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, as saying that the feat was an indication that Nigerian hospitals were ready to compete with the best in the world

“All of these show that the country can reduce the medical tourism abroad that is draining our foreign reserves while providing qualitative and affordable healthcare to every Nigerian especially the poor if the right manpower and medical facilities are made available.

“If the necessary equipments have not been made available, the twins would have been flown abroad which would have cost more. But today, Nigerians are thanking the team and the government for the success because it is a positive improvement and a wake up call to the government to pay the needed attention to the health sector,” he buttressed.

This is the third time conjoined twins would be separated successfully at publicly funded specialist hospitals, Muslim News learnt.

On May 14, 2018, a team of surgeons successfully separated four-month-old conjoined twins at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola. Also, the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on June 11 2018, announced that it separated a set of conjoined twins referred to the centre from the St. Mary Catholic Hospital, Gwagalada, Abuja.