Conjoined twins surgery · Abuja

First paediatric surgeon in Abuja to perform successful conjoined twins operation

Dr Samson Olori became the first paediatric surgeon in Abuja to perform a successful conjoined twins separation when he led the multidisciplinary team at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) in 2018. The operation was a huge milestone for paediatric surgery in the capital and for Nigeria.

Conjoined twins surgery is among the most complex procedures in paediatric surgery, requiring months of planning, advanced imaging and a large specialist team. As Chief Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at UATH, Dr Olori led a 30-person team in theatre and coordinated anaesthesia, nursing and allied input for the hospital's first successful separation.

The achievement has been documented in the official UATH bulletin and featured in BBC News. Families in Abuja and across Nigeria seeking expert evaluation for conjoined twins can reach Dr Olori for a confidential consultation.

The Federal Government commended UATH on the separation; the then Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, visited the babies in the Special Care Baby Unit and praised the teamwork and good management. The surgery was the second conjoined twins separation in the country that year—a huge milestone for paediatric surgery in the capital.