RIYADH, 1 September — Malaysian Siamese twins, conjoined at the stomach, arrived at King Abdul Aziz Medical City here yesterday from London and underwent preliminary medical tests in preparation for surgery to separate them.
Prince Abdullah, the regent, had directed the authorities to take necessary steps to separate the four-and-a-half year-old brothers, and provide them with advanced medical care.
Dr. Fahd Al-Abdul Jabbar, executive director general of health affairs at the National Guard, commended the prince’s humanitarian gesture.
The medical city has already successfully separated two sets of conjoined twins, he said, adding that the hospital has advanced medical facilities and highly qualified doctors.
The twins, named Ahmad and Mohammed Rahman, left Heathrow airport for the Kingdom yesterday after the Saudi Embassy in London facilitated their journey.
Roush ibn Abdullah Rahman, 31, father of the twins, thanked Prince Abdullah for the royal gesture.
Roush, who works as a mechanic at a Japanese company in Kuala Lumpur, said he felt very happy when he heard about the prince’s offer.
Prince Abdullah offered to make arrangements to separate the twins and treat them at the Saudi hospital, when their parents failed to collect 150,000 pound sterling required for the operation in London.
During their journey to the Kingdom, George Henry, his wife Lisa, who runs a charity named Happy in Britain, and Annett, a Malaysian translator, also accompanied the twins.
Aysha, the twins’ mother, said she was worried about the operation, which is very complicated and will take several hours. “I am very happy about this trip as it will help me achieve two things at a time: Treatment of my sons and visit to the holy places,” she said.
Roush and Aysha expressed their confidence in the ability of Saudi surgeons.
Henry said he was overwhelmed beyond words when Prince Abdullah made the offer.
“My wife Lisa and I are still in a state of amazement and we cannot believe that Ahmad and Mohammed will be finally separated, thanks to the generosity of Prince Abdullah,” he said.
Henry, a handicapped person who has dedicated himself to the service of disabled children, said Prince Abdullah’s offer came after many big charitable organizations in Britain had failed to help the twins’ parents.
Henry’s charity was planning to collect funds for the treatment of the twins. “We never expected a breakthrough could be achieved so quickly.”
Henry and Lisa got the offer from the prince last Wednesday. “If Prince Abdullah’s offer had not come, the situation of the twins would have been very difficult,” he added.
Doctors in Malaysia had told Roush and his wife that the twins would require at least five operations to separate them.
