The conjoined twins of Patna — Saba and Farah, will receive a monthly maintenance of `5,000 per month from the Bihar Government that was directed by the Supreme Court to also foot their treatment bills.
The strange case of the twins, joined by the head, presented a tough decision to the court of either saving both girls or ensure at least one survived. The chances were bleak, since past medical record on the subject required a complex process of 5-6 levels of surgery to be conducted on the twins.
Even then there was no guarantee that both would survive since Saba and Farah share a vital blood vessel in the brain. While one had two kidneys, other had none, which presented another complexity before the doctors.
But the court found its hands tied as the parents and brother of the twins opposed surgery and did not allow the girls to be examined by a team of doctors commissioned by the apex court. Instead, the mother sought financial help and cost to cover their palliative care.
Citing an English case where the judges had overruled objection by the parents to order operation for a child suffering from Down’s Syndrome and an intestinal blockage, the bench proceeded on the benchmark,
“First and foremost consideration of the court is welfare of the children, which
overrides the views or opinions of the parents.”
But being deprived of a proper medical assessment of the twins, the bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra dropped the option but with a heavy heart.
The order contained the anguish of the bench which stated, “We are sorry to note that nobody is concerned with the pain and agony craniopagus twins are undergoing, not even the parents. What they want is financial help as well as palliative care.”
Besides ordering for a monthly maintenance of
`5,000 and all expenses paid treatment at Patna Medical Centre, Court directed the Civil Surgeon of Medical Centre to conduct
periodic medical examination, send quarterly reports to AIIMS, and apprise the Court of the condition of twins once in six months.