Bhutanese conjoined twins discharged after surgery in Australia

Bhutanese conjoined twins Nima and Dawa who were joined at the torso and underwent a lengthy surgery to separate them were discharged from a hospital in Australia on Monday.

The 16-month-old twins, who left the Royal Children's Hospital here with their mother, Bhumchu Zagmo, are to travel to the Children First Foundation's estate in Kilmore in the state of Victoria, to continue with their recuperation before returning to Bhutan, reports Efe news.

Nima and Dawa Pelden arrived in Australia in October with their mother, but doctors decided to wait until they were in better physical condition to go ahead with the operation.

The twins were born on July 13, 2017, in a remote region of Bhutan in the first known instance of conjoined twins being born in the Himalayan country.

The government of Victoria offered to pay the costs of the operation and medical treatment, around AU$350,000 ($253,400), while other funds being raised by the charity Children First Foundation will be used for their rehabilitation in Bhutan.

Children First and some members of the hospital's team of surgeons contributed to another successful operation in 2009 to separate Bangladeshi conjoined twins Trishna and Krishna.

--IANS

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