Geita conjoined twins died en route to Bugando over 130 km away
Geita. The conjoined twins in the triplets birth on Sunday at Geita Regional Hospital, died en route to Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza where they had been transferred for specialised treatment.
The driving distance from Geita to Mwanza is 137 kilometres.
The twins, who were joined on the chest, died on Wednesday evening, at intervals, with reports saying the first one died at Busisi Ferry as they crossed from Geita to Mwanza.
The second died at the Bugando Hospital gate.
Initially, they had been kept at the regional hospital for observation because they showed no signs of complications after birth. Later, a decision was made to refer them to Mwanza for further expert management.
A nurse supervisor at Geita Regional Hospital, Mr Charugamba Jackson, said the nurse who accompanied conjoined twins reported that the health of one of the conjoined twins deteriorated in the ferry.
“The baby died shortly after arriving at the ferry. The nurse noted a decline in blood pressure and breathing difficulties. The nurse directed the driver to speed up in their efforts to save the life of the second baby but she died at the Bugando Hospital’s gate,” he said.
Mr Jackson said bodies of the deceased twins were handed over to family members for burial, but the mother and the third baby are still admitted to Geita Regional Hospital.
According to him, the third baby’s health is improving, noting that the hospital’s decision to refer the twins to Bugando Referral Hospital was made to provide them with specialised medical care.
“We couldn’t establish the exact interval at which they died because the nurse was busy providing life support to the second baby after death of her sister. We think they shared part of their vital organs because changes found in the first baby were also seen in the second one,” he said.
The woman who gave birth to the rare twins, Ms Theodora Wilson, was among two pregnant women admitted at the facility after being referred from Nyang’hwale District on March 17, said Dr Joseph Makuma from the hospital’s department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The two patients had been referred to the facility due to anaemia.
Dr Makuma said the nurse who assisted Ms Wilson to give birth was caught by surprise during the process.
“Soon after taking out the first baby, the nurse who was assisting in the delivery was surprised when she realised the mother’s tummy was still large. When I was called in to examine her, I found out that there were still two unborn babies,’’ he explained.
Dr Makuma recalled how the surgical team had to intervene to save the babies and the mother.
“One baby was already trying to come out of the birth canal, but it had taken one hand out. This was a risky situation. We had to carry out an emergency Caesarian Section,” he explained.
He added: “Thankfully the procedure was successful, but we realised that the two babies, weighing 4.5 kilograms in total, were conjoined and in good health."
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