Three countries asked for US$1 million. Then Saudi Arabia stepped in to offer free surgery for Fiji's rare conjoined twins
Saudi Arabia has stepped in to provide free surgery for conjoined twins from Fiji after multiple Western nations requested $1 million upfront for the procedure. The twins and their family have been flown to Saudi Arabia for the medical intervention.
Why it matters
This story underscores the barriers to specialized healthcare for citizens of developing nations and highlights the role of international humanitarian aid in filling these gaps.
Three different countries asked for US$1 million upfront before they would surgically separate rare conjoined twins born in Fiji.
The 10-month-old girls - Di Cecea and Jesipeli Kikau - were born prematurely in a set of triplets at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in the capital, Suva.
"The doctors said this is the first case of conjoined twins in Fiji in 20 years," their mother Akenata Vulimaiigiladi said in a video shared by Fiji's Health Ministry.
"When they were born two months premature the doctors said they might only survive for a few days. We are grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff here at the hospital for their service," she said.
Facebook / Ministry of Health & Medical Services - Fiji
A team of paediatric doctors at CWM spent eight months seeking help from multiple other countries, including neighbours Australia and New Zealand.
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