15-month-old conjoined twins successfully separated in Abu Dhabi

Nigerian conjoined twins, Mercy and Goodness, were able to see one another face-to-face for the first time in 15 months after undergoing a highly complex, separation surgery in Abu Dhabi.

It took more than 60 doctors and clinicians from the UAE, UK, Brazil and Nigeria over six months and four surgeries to separate the girls.  

The final surgery was carried out at PureHealth’s SEHA - Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC). 

Born with their heads joined at the top, fused skulls and intertwined brain tissue and blood vessels, their complex case needed a team of neurosurgeons, craniofacial surgeons, paediatricians, anaesthetists, nurses, radiologists and rehabilitation therapists.

Charity Gemini Untwined played a key role in coordinating and bringing clinical expertise to Abu Dhabi.

Multiple intricate surgeries had been conducted in Abu Dhabi, supported by cutting-edge imaging technology, advanced augmented reality simulations and 3D printing. 

Following the separation, Mercy and Goodness received custom 3D-printed titanium grafts, and are currently under rehabilitation in the UAE to ensure that their motor skills are developing and adapting before returning to Nigeria. 

Innovations used during the complex procedures, including mixed reality-guided implant design and AI-enhanced surgical planning, led to the fastest recorded separation of vertically conjoined twins, setting a new benchmark in complex paediatric neurosurgery.

عملية فصل التوأم الملتصق من الرأس "ميرسي" و"جودنس"، التي أجرتها "بيورهيلث" في مدينة الشيخ خليفة الطبية – صحة بمشاركة خبراء من دولة الإمارات والمملكة المتحدة والبرازيل ونيجيريا، تعكس تميُّز أبوظبي في تقديم رعاية صحية تسهم في إنقاذ حياة الناس وإحداث أثر فارق. pic.twitter.com/NP7rUjSCG3

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) June 5, 2026

"We are proud to have facilitated this global collaboration and to have hosted it in our country, where world-class talent and cutting-edge innovation come together to deliver hope," said Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation.

"The successful separation of Mercy and Goodness is not only a triumph of advanced medical science but also a testament to the power of international collaboration."