By Amin Kef Sesay
Recently, conjoined Sierra Leonean twins were separated successfully at the Columbia University Hospital in New York City. The twins were born in Sierra Leone in September 2019 and flown to the United States in December 2019 for surgical separation.
The separation was done by nurses and doctors at Columbia Presbyterian Children’s Hospital. Columbia University Hospital did the surgery pro-bono (free of charge) after Ms. Zainab Bangurah of Maryland, an advocate for the twins reached out to several hospitals in the United States seeking help. The Columbia University Hospital help came through Ms. Kathleen Bateh Thomas, a Sierra Leonean nurse at the Columbia University hospital.
Ms. Thomas convinced her doctors at Columbia University Hospital to do the separation surgery for free after her friend Ms. Bangurah reached out to her for help. Through Ms. Zainab Bangurah outreach The Women’s of Substance, a non-profit organization based in the DMV area and FPU-NA through it New York Chapter FPU-NY got involved.
The Women’s of Substance who have been very active in amazing charitable causes in Sierra Leone played a vital role in the Conjoined Twins cause both financially and morally. The FPU-NY and it very hard-working President, Abdul Rahim Jalloh and his beautiful family have been very active in the lives of the twins and their parents.
Mr. Rahim and his family have been hosting the twins and their parents at their home in Brooklyn since the Conjoined Twins arrived in New York. While his wife and children help with caring for the twins at home, Mr. Rahim Jalloh has been very active in accompanying the twins and their parents to every appointment.
Ms. Mimi Betts and Nurse Laga accompanied the twins to New York and also provided help while they were in Sierra Leone. The nurses at the Cottage Hospital in Freetown also provided care for the twins in Sierra Leone before they were flown out to the United States as well as people of Sierra Leone for supporting the twins and their parents.
The Government of Sierra Leone also supported the twins both at home and abroad. It provided $12000 for the upkeep of the twins in New York City and $4000 to the two nurses who accompanied the twins to the United States (tickets/per diem) (&16000 total).
Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh was also very instrumental in showing keen interest in the cause of the twins and their parents as well as Dr. Edwina Thomas who also played a major role. Friends, supporters and strangers donated money and offered prayers for the twins and their parents.
