On December 23, 2022, conjoined twins Milpha Kemwama Magati and Nipha Nyang’ate Magati died at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi, after being admitted for close monitoring for over a year.
The twins were born at Lenmek Hospital in Kisii County on November 31, 2021, to 23-year-old Lilian Moraa and her husband Vincent Haron Magati, 27.
They were joined at the chest and abdomen area, and weighed 4.6 kilograms at birth. The parents are unable to pay the hospital bill of 3.1 million Kenyan shillings ($30,000) and have not been able to bury their children.
The twins had no known health complications during their year of life, and their father had hoped they could eventually be separated and live independently.
“I have been well throughout my pregnancy. I had no complications, and I faithfully honoured all my clinical visits. At night, I developed labour pains, and my husband organised a motorbike which took me to hospital,” said Moraa.
One of the twins had a bigger heart, which supported her sister’s smaller heart. The twins celebrated their first birthday on November 31, 2022.
The mother gave birth via Cesarean section after experiencing labor pains and being transported to the hospital by motorcycle.
She was transferred to Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital for specialized treatment and later to KNH with her babies for further observation. The couple had no knowledge of any abnormalities during their regular prenatal visits.
“They have left a huge bill which we are unable to clear. One baby left a bill of Sh1.6 million and the other Sh1.5 million,” said their mother.