RISK ASSESSMENT: Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, right, presides over a meeting of the members of the surgical team at King Fahd Medical City on Sunday. On his right is Dr. Bandar Al-Knawy, chief executive officer of the hospital. (AN photo)

RIYADH: A multidisciplinary team headed by Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah has decided to separate two Moroccan conjoined twins, Azizah and Saeedah, on Saturday, King Fahd Medical City (KAMC) announced yesterday.

Chairing the meeting of the members of the surgical team in the presence of the twins’ parents, Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the twins were brought from Morocco on the instruction of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

Azizah and Saeedah arrived in the Kingdom on May 23 under the directives of King Abdullah. The king directed that the twins and their parents be welcomed and that necessary tests be carried out to separate the twins at the Riyadh hospital.

Al-Rabeeah praised King Abdullah’s gesture in bringing the twins to the Kingdom and for providing them with all necessary care for their separation.

Pre-surgical tests indicated that the twins share a liver, a pancreas and the upper part of their intestines.

The minister took time to explain the surgery to children’s parents and told them the surgical team has estimated a 70 percent success rate.

Al-Rabeeah said this is the third set of Moroccan twins to be separated in the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 22 successful separations of conjoined twins.

Dr. Bandar Al-Knawy, who succeeded Al-Rabeeah as the chief executive officer of KAMC, said the hospital has become a global center for the separation of conjoined twins. He also thanked Al-Rabeeah for finding time to help a worthy cause that deserves special attention.

The father of the Moroccan twins said he and his wife are grateful to King Abdullah for directing KAMC to perform the separation free of charge. “It is impossible even to dream of such a surgery back home with our limited means,” he added.