Phulbani: Jaga, the first half of craniopagus conjoined twins Jaga-Kalia, will soon return to his birth place here. The process to shift Jaga from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where he is currently undergoing treatment, to Kandhamal district has already started. He will soon be handed over to the Kandhamal district headquarters hospital (DHH) authorities.
The decision to shift Jaga from SCBMCH to his home district started after his mother Pushpanjali requested for the same. She cited her inability to continue her son’s treatment at SCBMCH due to financial crunch.
Pushpanjali wrote to the Kandhamal District Collector to shift Jaga back to Kandhamal DHH. The collector had forwarded the application to the Health Department and it has been approved.
The Odisha Health Directorate has asked the SCBMCH authorities, particularly the team which has been treating Jaga to begin the process of shifting Jaga safely to Kandhamal. Team leader and the Head of the Neurosurgery department, Dr Prof Sudhanshu Mishra has given the green signal for Jaga’s shifting.
Meanwhile, a two-member-team from Kandhamal DHH has already left for Cuttack. “All arrangements to keep Jaga’s treatment going are in place at the DHH. To get Jaga back to Kandhamal, a two-member doctor team has gone to Cuttack,” informed additional district medical officer Abhay Patnaik.
“In order to understand the entire treating process, the two doctors will have a discussion with the experts who has been taking care of Jaga at SCBMCH. Then they will bring Jaga here,” Patnaik added.
The craniopagus conjoined twins were separated in a two-phase surgery in 2017. While the first phase surgery was carried out August 28, 2017, the second phase was done October 25, the same year.
The first and second phases of the surgeries had lasted for 25 hours and 20 hours respectively. The Odisha Government had sanctioned Rs 1, 00, 00, 000 for the operations.
Two years after their operation, Jaga-Kalia was discharged from AIIMS, New Delhi September 6, 2019 and they reached Cuttack the next day. They were immediately rushed to the SCBMCH.
However, while undergoing treatment at SCBMCH, Kalia had breathed his last at 9.10pm November 25, 2020.
PNN