Conjoined twins from Kushtia die at DMCH
Following a funeral prayer at 9am today, the twins were buried at a local graveyard.
Three-month-old conjoined twin sisters from Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday (12 August).
The babies, Zainab and Umme Kulsum, died around 5:30pm while doctors were treating them at the hospital, according to their family.
The twins were born at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) on 4 May to Nahid Hasan, a shop employee, and his wife Sanjida Akter, residents of Bilgathua village under Pragpur union in Daulatpur.
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The babies were joined from the chest to the abdomen. After their birth, doctors kept them under close observation and said they could potentially be separated through surgery.
However, the procedure required multiple tests, specialised medical teams and prolonged treatment.
The family was advised to bring the babies back to Dhaka after three months for further treatment. But their severe financial hardship prevented them from continuing the treatment.
The issue came to public attention after reports were published in the media, prompting the prime minister to intervene.
Following the prime minister's directive, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare took responsibility for covering all expenses related to the twins' treatment and possible surgery.
As part of the government's initiative, the health minister personally called the twins' father on Sunday afternoon (9 August) and advised him to bring the babies to Dhaka as soon as possible.
With the government's assurance of financial support, the family left for Dhaka on Monday morning and admitted the babies to Dhaka Medical College Hospital the same day.
Doctors subsequently conducted several necessary medical examinations.
However, despite the efforts of the medical team, the two babies died.
"We had the support of the prime minister and the government, and the doctors were also trying their best. We came to Dhaka with hopes of giving our children a new life," Nahid said.
"But I could not take my two beautiful babies back home," he said.
The bodies were taken to their home in Daulatpur late yesterday. Following a funeral prayer at 9am today, the twins were buried at a local graveyard.
