29/07/2026
The good news story you need this week .
Conjoined Fijian twins to receive separation surgery 100% funded for all costs by Saudi Arabia. Life changing surgery for the girls and family, let’s hope it goes smoothly and the girls have an amazing life moving forward
A pair of rare conjoined twins in Fiji, who were born 10 months ago as part of a set of triplets, are about to have separation surgery in Saudi Arabia.
Di Cecea and Jesipeli Kikau were born eight weeks premature with their sister, Hossana, at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva.
"The doctors said this is the first case of conjoined twins in Fiji in 20 years," their mother Akenata said in a video shared by Fiji's Health Ministry.
"When they were born the doctors said they might only survive for a few days. We are grateful to the nurses, doctors and medical staff here at the hospital for their service."
With the girls having survived against the odds so far, the next stage of their fight for life takes them to the other side of the world.
The twins' parents, Akeneta and Watisoni Vulimaiigiladi of Rewa, have been searching for a country to perform the surgery since the girls were discharged from hospital eight months ago.
Australia and Saudi Arabia were among the contenders, and finally the Saudi Arabian government offered to fund the multi-million-dollar surgery, as well as the family's airfares and accommodation, under a humanitarian programme.
Reporting by RNZ Pacific senior journalist Margot Staunton.
