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Mr Moses Chitiyo and wife Agnes with their history-making Siamese twins Kupakwashe (centre) and Tapuwanashe at a ceremony to commemorate the separation of the twins at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare last Friday. — Picture by Memory Mangombe

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter—
Kupakwashe and Tapuwanashe Chitiyo, the first pair of Siamese twins to be successfully separated by a team of Zimbabwean health professionals here are progressing well, Dr Gwendoline Chimhini has said. Speaking at an event held to celebrate the twin boys’ second birthday hosted by the University of Zimbabwe in Harare last Friday, Dr Chimhini, who has been one of the children’s paediatricians since birth, said they were closely following up on them and they were healing well.

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“We have been following them up closely on their development and they have been progressing well. So far, we have not seen anything amiss,” said Dr Chimhini. According to the doctors, Kupakwashe’s wounds have healed to the point where he no longer requires daily dressing, while Tapiwanashe still needs a daily dressing of the wound from where they were separated.

The twin boys’ father, Mr Moses Chitiyo, attested to the fact that the boys were developing well and were very energetic. “When the operation took place, there was not enough skin to close the opening on their chest and abdomen after they had been separated.

“As such, surgical mesh was placed to keep their organs in place instead of a skin graft.

“Over time, as the boys have grown, the opening has closed naturally with the growth of new skin. The mesh, however, must be periodically cut off as it pushes out of the skin. For this, we take the boys to hospital once a month so that this remaining mesh can be removed,” said Mr Chitiyo.

“The boys are improving daily and right now we have not had to give Kupakwashe a daily dressing though we are not certain if the mesh is out completely. “Tapuwanashe still gets a dressing, but both are still being monitored till the mesh is completely removed,” he said.

The successful separation of the Siamese twins was conducted on July 1, 2014 by a team of local doctors led by academics from the University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences.

Speaking at the event, UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura said institutions of higher learning had an obligation to provide solutions to multi-faceted challenges facing citizens and separation of the Siamese twins was one such example.

He said to ensure that national health care needs were catered for, the university remained committed to providing requisite material requirements for top-notch training, research and clinical service.

“This ensures the production of quality healthcare practitioners, refinement of medical knowledge and practice and eventually benefits to the ordinary men and women,” he said.

Prof Nyagura said the successful separation of the Siamese twins by members of the university community was not just an academic and clinical exercise, but a clear testimony of the institution’s commitment to serve the community.

To that end, Prof Nyagura offered the twin boy’s father Mr Chitiyo a job in the university’s catering department and an additional $2 000. “The unique nature of the separation surgical procedure bonded us to the Siamese twins and their family. “The university will always be there for the twins,” said Prof Nyagura.