Dr Nyaweleni Tshifularo led a medical team that successfully separated conjoined twins in a first-of-its-kind operation in Limpopo.

• A medical team in Mankweng, Limpopo, successfully performed a groundbreaking surgery to separate conjoined twin boys – a historic milestone for healthcare in the province.
• The complex procedure, led by Dr Nyaweleni Tshifularo, involved extensive preparation, including seven multidisciplinary meetings and dry runs to ensure the operation’s success.
• The twins are now stable and recovering well.

After eight hours of complex surgery, a team of doctors in Mankweng, Limpopo, has successfully separated conjoined twin boys in a first-of-its-kind surgical procedure in the province.

The procedure, which took place on 29 January, was led by paediatric surgeon Dr Nyaweleni Tshifularo, who explained how the surgery was approached at Mankweng Hospital.

“When the babies were born, it was an emergency. The first part was to optimise them to make sure they were well and alive,” Tshifularo said at a media briefing last week.

Before the actual operation could happen and in an effort to make sure everything was ready, the team had to first go through seven multidisciplinary team meetings and dry runs.

“Once all the steps were ticked, we went to the MEC and the premier and said: ‘Give us the staff and equipment, and we’ll do this.‘ They delivered, and we had no excuse. We knew what we needed to do, and we did it,” Tshifularo added.

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He said the babies were successfully separated, were alive, and were doing well. He added that the mother had cried tears of joy.

New house for mother of two

Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba praised Tshifularo and his multidisciplinary team for the successful operation, describing the surgery as a remarkable milestone in Limpopo’s healthcare journey.

“This operation represents a historic moment for Limpopo. For the first time in South Africa, a rural hospital has accomplished such a high-scale operation,” she said.

“We commend the collaboration. Following the separation, the plastic and reconstructive surgeons have to come in to close the skin, meaning our babies will have a beautiful scar.”

Ramathuba added that measures were put in place to ensure that the twins and their family received the assistance they needed.

“Following the operations, the babies were fully separated and are currently in a stable condition with good hemodynamic status. They remain under close medical supervision in the neonatal intensive care unit.”

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President Cyril Ramaphosa called Ramathuba during the media briefing session and congratulated the medical team on the successful operation.

“The nation is filled with pride that at a rural hospital, you have succeeded,” he said.

“You are real miracle workers, and we’d like to thank you for that. So thank you very much. You are our heroes throughout the country.”

On Monday, Ramathuba officiated the sod-turning ceremony for the construction of a new house in Lulekani for the 29-year-old mother of the twins. The house is set to be completed within two months, providing the family with a fresh start after the successful surgery.

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