In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a team of 60 doctors in Ankara, Turkiye, successfully separated 11-month-old conjoined twins, Mirha and Minal, after an intense 14-hour surgery. The twin girls, born in Pakistan with their heads fused together, had little hope for a normal future until their family’s plea for help reached Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The family, desperate to save their daughters, contacted London-based pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Owase Jeelani. He recognized the potential for a safe separation but found the procedure’s cost in the UK to be prohibitive. Touched by the family’s situation, Dr. Jeelani reached out to President Erdogan, who immediately ensured that the twins would receive the life-changing surgery in Turkiye, told Sky News.
In May, Mirha and Minal were transferred to Bilkent City Hospital in Ankara, where they were closely monitored by a skilled medical team. The complex surgery, one of the most challenging procedures ever undertaken at the hospital, was conducted in two stages. The effort was led by Dr. Jeelani, working alongside Turkish surgeons Dr. Harun Demirci and Dr. Hasan Murat Ergani.
On July 19, after months of preparation and multiple procedures, the final surgery successfully separated the twins, who had been joined at the skull since birth. The operation marked a triumph of international collaboration and cutting-edge medical expertise.
Dr. Aziz Ahmet Surel, the hospital’s coordinating chief physician, praised the teamwork and knowledge exchange between the Turkish and British medical teams. “Seeing the healthy, smiling faces of the babies now, compared to their conjoined state when they first arrived, is an indescribable joy,” he said, reflecting on the emotional journey the medical team had undertaken.
Initially, the twins struggled with the transition to life apart, but doctors reunited them in the same room and bed to ease their adjustment. Dr. Demirci reported that both girls are now in excellent health and are expected to be discharged in two to three weeks, with ongoing follow-up care to monitor their brain and bone development. “Their health is now very good, and we expect to discharge them in two to three weeks,” he confirmed.
For the twins’ parents, Rehan Ali and Nazia Parveen, the surgery has been a transformative experience. They expressed deep gratitude to President Erdogan, Dr. Jeelani, and the entire medical team. “We are so happy and indebted to everyone who contributed. We hope to meet President Erdogan personally to thank him,” Ali said, reflecting the overwhelming gratitude they feel for this miraculous outcome.
