Tanzanian conjoined twins set for life-saving surgery in Riyadh

Josephine Christopher is a senior business journalist for The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers

Mwananchi Communications Limitted

Dar es Salaam. A pair of Tanzanian conjoined twins, Nancy and Nice, are today undergoing a landmark separation surgery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a complex and high-risk procedure being conducted by the world-renowned Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme (SCTP).

Born on July 30, 2024, the twins are joined from the chest through the abdomen to the pelvis, a rare condition medically classified as Thoraco-omphalopagus Ischiopagus Tripus.

The surgery is being conducted by a team of 34 specialists led by Dr Abdullah Al Rabeeah, with the procedure expected to take approximately 16 hours and involve 10 surgical stages.

Nancy and Nice were born at Bugando Medical Centre before later being referred to Muhimbili National Hospital and subsequently transferred to Riyadh in January 2026 for specialised assessment and preparation.

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This marks the third time Tanzania has referred conjoined twins to the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme through Muhimbili National Hospital, underscoring growing collaboration in handling rare and complex paediatric surgical cases.

The programme previously successfully separated Tanzanian twins Hassan and Hussein in 2024.

Mother of Tanzanian conjoined twins Nancy and Nice, Ms Angerina Magori, looks on emotionally as her daughters are wheeled into the operating theatre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a complex, life-saving separation surgery on May 7, 2026.

All costs related to the surgery, including treatment, travel, and accommodation, are being fully covered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), with no financial burden placed on the family.

The twins’ mother, Ms Angerina Magori, said the family had remained hopeful throughout the difficult journey.

“When we were told that the surgery would be fully funded and performed by such an experienced team, we felt a sense of hope we had not experienced since the day the twins were born,” she said.

The Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme, established in 1990, has reviewed 157 cases from 26 countries and successfully separated 70 pairs of conjoined twins before this operation.

Medical updates on the outcome of the surgery are expected after completion of the procedure later today, Thursday, May 7, 2026.