Second phase surgery on Odisha’s conjoined twins likely to be delayed

Bhubaneswar: Separation of the conjoined twins – Jaga and Balia (also known as Honey and Singh) – from Odisha will be delayed as their second phase operation is most likely to be postponed due to blood shortage in their bodies.

This was informed by AIIMS-New Delhi Neurosurgery Department Chief Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, one of the doctors who are spearheading the high-profile surgery.

The second phase of surgery was scheduled to be conducted in mid of October after the first phase successfully completed on August 28.

“The health condition of Jaga and Balia is stable now but they are facing acute shortage of blood, which might delayed the next round of surgery,” Mahapatra said by adding the duo is undergoing blood tranfusion at regular intervals.

The 28-month-old twins hailing from a poor family in Milipada village of Phiringia block in the tribal-dominated Kandhamal district were taken to AIIMS on July 13 and a team of 40 doctors conducted the 20-hour long first surgery on them.

As per the doctors, Jaga and Balia are craniopagus twins that are fused at the cranium – the skull, especially the part enclosing the brain.

Odisha government which had given Rs 1 crore for the operations has stationed a health department employee at AIIMS to exclusively keep a tab on the health condition of the twins.