A groundbreaking medical procedure has been completed at a rural hospital in Limpopo, marking the first time conjoined twins have been successfully separated at a non-tertiary facility in South Africa.
Dr Nyaweleni Tshifularo and his medical team performed the complex surgical separation of twins born on 28 January at Mankweng Hospital. The procedure has drawn national recognition, with President Cyril Ramaphosa describing it as “unbelievable” and “miraculous”.
The twins were delivered by a 29-year-old mother who had been transferred from Maphutha Malatjie Hospital, outside Phalaborwa, after midwives detected the condition during an ultrasound. They are currently in stable condition and recovering in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit under close supervision.
President Cyril Ramaphosa compared the achievement to the historic heart transplant performed by Dr Christiaan Barnard at Groote Schuur Hospital in the 1960s, noting that such highly specialised procedures are typically performed at leading tertiary hospitals.
“I am just so pleased and happy, and indeed, the whole country should be pleased that you have undertaken a very complicated operation that would normally be done at top class hospitals, like Groote Schuur Hospital,” the President said.
He added that the success of the procedure has brought hope to the children’s family and demonstrates that advanced medical procedures can be successfully carried out in rural public hospitals.
“I can just imagine how difficult the operation was. So, I congratulate all of you, and the nation is filled with pride that a public hospital in the rural areas of our country [achieved this],” President Ramaphosa said.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba, who ensured the hospital had the necessary resources to carry out the operation, said the achievement represents a historic moment for the province.
“For the first time in South Africa, a rural hospital has accomplished such a high scale operation. This achievement changes the landscape of healthcare in our province and reaffirm our belief in the potential of rural hospitals,” she said in a media briefing on Tuesday evening.
Premier Ramathuba said the procedure highlights the growing capacity, skill and commitment of healthcare professionals in the province and underscores the need for continued investment in rural health facilities.
“It is a clarion call for us all to invest resources in our rural facilities, enabling them to provide exceptional care and undertake significant procedures right here in our communities,” she said.
She added that such a procedure is not the work of an individual but of a dedicated multidisciplinary team who have turned what seemed impossible into a resounding success.
