Separation of Conjoined Twins: One year on, Jaga’s improvement beyond expectation

New Delhi: One year has passed now since the complicated surgeries that gave independent identities to Odisha’s conjoined twins- Jaga and Kalia.

In an exclusive interview to OTV, one of the doctors at AIIMS, New Delhi treating the twins informed that while Jaga has shown tremendous improvement post surgery, Kalia is still recuperating from the separation surgery conducted at the hospital.

“Jaga’s improvement is beyond our expectation and his behaviour is just like any other kid of his age. There have been no significant signs of improvement in Kalia’s condition. But we are hopeful that he will recover fast,” said Doctor Girija Rath.

Rath further informed, though there has been some ‘developmental’ delays in Jaga, he however, has started to pick up and is recognising and remembering people.

There are some surgeries still pending and the neurosurgery team will take a final decision soon.

When asked when both Jaga and Kalia's discharge from the hospital, Rath stated that AIIMS authorities and Odisha government will take the final decision as it involves certain technical and administrative discussions.

It is pertinent to mention here that the two craniopagus twins from Milipada village in Kandhamal district were successfully separated by a team of 30 specialists from neurosurgery, neuro-anaesthesia and plastic surgery departments of AIIMS, New Delhi.

OTV had first telecast the plight of the twins and their family and later Odisha government swung into action and extended financial aid and other support for the treatment of the twins.