Kalia's health condition improves, docs monitoring twins: Hosp

The health condition of Kalia, one of the craniopagus twins separated two years ago, has "improved considerably", said authorities at a Cuttack hospital, where he has been undergoing treatment since being shifted from AIIMS in Delhi six weeks ago.

The four-year-old, who was discharged from AIIMS, Delhi along with his twin brother Jaga on September 6, fell critically ill, days after he was admitted to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack.

"Kalia's health condition has improved considerably. He has been keeping well without ventilator support for the last 72 hours," Bhubanananda Maharana, emergency officer at the hospital, said.

As per dietician's instruction, he is being served Khichdi for lunch and semolina for dinner, the officer said.

"Earlier, Kalia was given just milk and dry food. Now he is having cooked food. As per the instructions of the dietician, we are providing him Khichdi for lunch and semolina at night," Maharana said, adding that a team of experts are monitoring the condition of the brothers round the clock.

Jaga and Kalia, joined at the heads, were separated in a two-phase surgery in 2017.

The first surgery on August 28 2017, which lasted for 25 hours, involved creation of a venous bypass on Kalia and partial brain separation from Jaga.

The final separation was done on October 25 in an operation which lasted for 20 hours. Doctors performed skin grafting and minor neurosurgical procedures on them over the next few months.

The Odisha government had sanctioned Rs one crore for the surgery of the twins, who hail from Kandhamal district.