New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has directed Bihar Government to take care of Financial and Medical needs of the Siamese twins from Patna, Saba and Farah Shakeel.
Conjoined Twin Sisters Saba and Farah Shakeel find it increasingly difficult to continue with joint life
The Apex Court also ordered Patna Medical College and Hospital to undertake regular checkups of Saba and Farah. The 15-year-old conjoined twins have been facing a lot of hardship as they come from a poor family. Saba and Farah have been bedridden and are experiencing persistent, acute pain and distress and are neither able to sleep adequately nor get up from their bed.
The Court expressed anguish and displeasure over the negligence and silence of Bihar Government in this case. Â Last Year they were granted a Permanent Disability Certificate only after Intervention of the Supreme Court of India.
Their Father Mohammad Shakeel, is a tea stall owner in Patna, had pleaded for mercy killing for his twins in 2011.
Five years ago Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed paid for the girls to visit some of the foremost conjoined twin specialists, including American Benjamin Carson, to investigate ways of separating them.Â
At that time the girls were in much better spirits and health. They could only move in a crab-like fashion, but enjoyed playing board games and watching Bollywood films.
Mr Carson’s team discovered that the girls share a crucial blood vessel in the brain and have only two kidneys, both in Farah’s body.
Their Father, Mr Shakeel was told that the girls would require up to six operations to separate them, each carrying a one in five chance that one of them would not survive. Â
He decided not to take the risk, despite the Saudi Crown Prince’s offer to pay
.
Five years later, the girls’ condition is so much worse that Mr Shakeel has come to the heart-breaking conclusion that their suffering should come to an end, unless someone can fund treatment.Â
The dependency on Farah’s kidneys is causing them to suffer weight loss and high blood pressure.