The team led by Dr. Joseph Epodoi, the Consultant Surgeon at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital successfully separated conjoined twins comprising one alive and one dead apart. The conjoined twins had been referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital but medics there declined to carry an operation citing high risks to the living twin.
Members of Parliament are expected to recognize 14 medics
from Soroti Regional Referral Hospital for the successful conjoined twin’s
operation conducted last month.
The team led by Dr.
Joseph Epodoi, the Consultant Surgeon at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital successfully
separated conjoined twins comprising one alive and one dead. The conjoined twins had been referred to
Mulago National Referral Hospital but medics there declined to carry an
operation citing high risks to the living twin.
The children were later returned to Soroti, forcing Dr.
Epodoi and the team to face a huge task of separating the conjoined twins
amidst little resources.
After an operation that lasted close to five hours, the team
successfully separated the deceased twin sister from the live one. The children
had shared the liver and chest wall. The news of the successful operation went
viral both on social and mainstream media.
Many individuals and organization in and outside Uganda expressed
gratitude to the medics for the successful operation. Some of the Teso MPs
proposed for a special recognition of the team that they noted had made Teso
and Uganda proud.
URN has since seen a letter authored by Peter Busiku, the
Principal Private Secretary to the Speaker of Parliament inviting Dr. Epodoi
and the team to Parliament on April 7th, 2021 for the MPs to applaud
them.
The letter written on Thursday indicates that there will be
a motion for resolution of Parliament on Wednesday to applaud Dr. Epodoi and
the team for the effort in saving the life of the living twin.
“I have been instructed by the Rt. Hon. Speaker to invite
you and the entire team of doctors to be present as the House debates the
motion”, the letter reads in part.
When contacted, Dr. Epodoi acknowledged receipt of the
letter to Parliament on Wednesday. He says that he is humbled by the step taken
to appreciate their work.
// cue in “Of course…
Cue out…in isolation”//
However, some people have raised mixed reactions. Denis
Enamu, posted in Aribabai Updates that the work by Dr. Epodoi and the team should
trigger Parliament to allocate more resources to the health sector.
“There is no need applauding Dr. Epodoi and the team when
the health sector is crumbling," he said. "This was a failed job at the national referral
hospital, Mulago. Parliament should allocate more resources truly to the health
sector. A healthy population will always be resourceful and will even pay more
taxes as demanded now.”
The conjoined twin-girls were delivered at Amuria District
Hospital to Joyce Alinga, a- 21- year- old of senior three who conceived during
COVID-19 lockdown.
