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Parents of former conjoined twins seek further assistance
The twins Timothy Twinomugisha (L) and Trevor Beinomugisha and their parents in Kabale recently. Timothy’s wound has not healed seven months after separation but their doctor says there is no need for worry. PHOTO BY A. LUBOWA.
What you need to know:
No healing. The wound, created after separation is getting worse for one of the twins - Timothy Twinomugisha.
Parents of former conjoined twins in Kabale have appealed to Good Samaritans for further help. The plea follows failure by one of the twins to get healed of his wounds, sustained after separation seven months ago.
According to Mr Dennis Owomugisha, the father of twins, a few weeks after the operation, Timothy Twinomugisha’s wound started becoming large while Trevor Beinomugisha’s was healing.
“We have to dress his wound after every two days and also put him on a special diet rich in proteins because the doctors said they (proteins) will help the skin grow.”
“The mother cannot work because she has to make sure he does not hurt himself while crawling or sleeping on his stomach,” Mr Owomugisha explained during a visit to his home recently.
While pointing at Timothy’s chest, which is covered with gauze and plaster, Ms Rosette Tusiime, the mother of the twins, said under the gauze is an implant (synthetic material) that was put in the twins’ chests.
“The skin was expected to cover it (the implant) after a short time as the boys grew but Timothy’s has refused to heal. It is actually becoming worse,” Ms Tusiime said.
Worried parents
Mr Owomugisha said with a lot of medical attention required by Timothy, they had to move to town. “We have to take the twins for review every Friday to Mulago hospital and because we do not have money to be moving from Kabale every week, we decided to move to Kampala.”
“We first rented a house in Kawempe at Shs150,000, we stayed there for four months and rent became a problem,” he adds. The family then approached a relative who allowed them to stay at his house in Kasangati, a city suburb.
Meanwhile, Dr John Sekabira a Pediatric Surgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital, who has been in-charge of the twins’ treatment said the wound is “not a problem though the parents are worried. It will be solved”.
He explained that they are giving the boy’s body time to grow. “But if the body rejects it, we shall replace it. But in the meantime it is okay,” Dr Sekabira added.
