By CHUSA SICHONE –
Zambia’s most famous Siamese twins, Bupe and Mapalo, will be leaving Lusaka’s University Teaching Hospital today as two separate individuals, nearly one year after they checked in for a landmark operation to detach them.
Bupe and Mapalo, declared fit enough to return home by the authorities at the hospital, got a VIP visitor yesterday in Vice-President Inonge Wina, who said all the glory for the miracle of the operation that separated them successfully must go to God Almighty.
She said the success of the operation, a lengthy and intricate procedure was proof that Zambian doctors were capable of conducting complicated surgeries.
UTH head of clinical care Mulindi Mwanahamuntu announced that Bupe and Mapalo were expected to be discharged today when Ms Wina presented the tots with hampers on behalf of Shoprite in Lusaka yesterday.
“We are discharging these babies. They have been with us for a long time. I know you are probably aware that they came sometime last year on the 27th of May, which means that if we cross over to May, that will be one year of them being here,” Dr Mwanahamuntu said.
He said Bupe and Mapalo were ready to be discharged because they had recovered after the February 2, 2018 operation.
Dr Mwanahamuntu said the twins were being kept at UTH after the operation to enable them catch up on sitting and walking and other milestones expected in the development of normal children.
it had also been a time to observe how their individual organs were functioning.
The twins, originally from Kawambwa, are required to be making regular visits to UTH for review as complete recovery from such major surgery could be a long process.
As she waited to meet the toddlers, Ms Wina said she was anxious to do so for her to believe that they were truly separated.
Upon seeing the twins after a debriefing, the thrilled Ms Wina said: “We can’t say much except to thank God for this fantastic work that the doctors have done to separate these young girls. Now, they will
have their separate lives and I think the sky is the limit.”
She said she was hopeful that arrangements would be made for the twins for the required reviews at the UTH and that the Government would do its best to support the family.
She said President Edgar Lungu was committed to ensuring the UTH and other health facilities in Zambia had the capacity to perform similar complicated operations and take health services closer to the people.
The twins’ parents thanked well-wishers for the outpouring of support and asked for continued help especially with securing them a house.
The twins’ mother, Lydia Makumba, caused laughter when she said that she did not recognise Ms Wina because no one had introduced her. After being formally introduced, she later knelt down to greet the Vice-President.