Indonesian baby first ever case of conjoined twins sharing single body with two heads

The Jakarta Post
Wed, Apr 12, 2017

A baby boy with two heads has been born in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), the first ever case of conjoined twins sharing a single body with two heads in the regency.

The baby is undergoing intensive medical treatment performed by a team of pediatricians at NTB Regional General Hospital (RSUD).

RSUD NTB director Lalu Hamzi Fikri said the baby boy was born by cesarean section at 8:42 a.m. local time on Monday.

“The baby was born alive with two heads, two necks, one body, two arms and two legs at RSUD Sumbawa and he was straightaway referred to RSUD NTB,” he told journalists in Mataram on Tuesday.

Weighing 3.5 kilograms, the baby is the third child of a woman identified only by the initial Z, a resident of Genang Genis in Kerato village, Sumbawa Besar district, Sumbawa.

Hamzi said this conjoined twin case was rare and was being handled intensively at RSUD NTB. “An observation conducted by a pediatric team from the hospital is ongoing,” he said. 

Sumbawa Health Agency head Naziruddin said it was the first case of conjoined twins with two heads in the regency and was now being fully handled by RSUD NTB.

“Medical expenses will be covered by the Health Care and Social Security Agency [BPJS],” he said.  

Naziruddin said the Sumbawa Health Agency was collecting medical data on the pregnancy history of Z.

“It should have been able to detect this from the very beginning,” he said.