Family seeks Fiji’s support as conjoined twins await Saudi specialists
Family could remain in Saudi Arabia for at least eight months as specialists assess the twins
Thursday 13 August 2026 | 06:00
Jone Vulimaigiiladi in the centre with his twin babies, pictured with with Ravind Prasad and British Army Fijian personnel.
Photo: Supplied
A Fijian family is seeking prayers and support as their 11-month-old conjoined twin daughters await specialised medical assessment and a decision on possible separation surgery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The twins, Dicecea Masilina Kikau and Jesepeli Rosi Ledua, travelled more than 15,000 kilometres from Fiji with their parents in the hope of receiving specialised treatment through the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme.
The family arrived in Riyadh last Friday after a journey of about 30 hours, excluding layovers.
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The twins became unwell following the long journey and were admitted to King Abdulaziz Children’s Specialist Hospital in Eastern Riyadh, where they remained under observation for a week after developing a cough and fever.
Their father, Jone Vulimaigiiladi of Tubou, Lakeba, Lau, is staying in accommodation provided by the hospital while the family awaits further medical assessments and decisions by specialists.
The hospital provides three meals a day, but the family has had to meet other needs, including clothing, hygiene products and food for the babies.
The family has also received assistance from Imran Musa and his wife, former Fijians living in Saudi Arabia, who traced the family and provided them with a smartphone and other necessities.
The family’s situation is made more difficult by the fact that their third daughter, Hosanna Jessica Adikula Kikau, who is also a triplet, remains in Fiji with her two brothers under the care of their grandmother in Toga, Rewa.
The parents are now facing an uncertain period as specialists conduct detailed assessments to determine the twins’ condition and whether separation surgery is possible.
The assessments will determine what organs, blood supplies and other vital structures the twins may share, as well as the overall health of each child individually and together.
The Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme, which began in 1990, is one of the world’s longest-running programmes dedicated to the assessment, treatment and separation of conjoined twins.
By the end of June this year, the programme had recorded 72 successful separations involving children from around the world. Recent procedures demonstrate the complexity of such operations.
A separation involving Somali twins in 2026 involved 36 specialists, eight surgical stages and more than 12 hours of surgery, while an operation involving Tanzanian twins involved 36 specialists and lasted about 16.5 hours across 10 stages.
The Fijian twins would bring to 29 the number of countries from which children have been brought to Saudi Arabia for specialised assessment and treatment. However, the process can involve a lengthy wait before surgery.
The Somali twins, for example, arrived in Saudi Arabia in May 2025 before their separation was carried out in March 2026.
For the Fijian family, the journey is expected to continue well beyond any medical procedure, with the family potentially remaining in Saudi Arabia for at least another eight months.
Following surgery, the twins would need to remain under medical observation and rehabilitation until specialists determine they are stable enough to safely undertake the journey back to Fiji.
For the parents, the wait comes with the added challenge of being thousands of kilometres from their family, friends, church community and support network.
The language, food, culture and surroundings are unfamiliar, while only a small number of Fijians are around them.
The family is appealing for prayers, encouragement and practical assistance as they continue their journey.
Support can help with expenses not covered by hospital care, including food for the babies, clothing, hygiene items, transportation and other necessities during their extended stay.
The family is also seeking support from the Fijian community and Government as the medical journey continues.
The appeal is for Fiji to stand behind the family during what is expected to be one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
As the family waits in Riyadh, the message from home is simple: they may be far from Fiji, but Fiji is not far from them.
Donations to assist the family can be made to:
Account Name: Akeneta Tacaqe
Bank: HFC Bank, Home Finance Company Limited
Account Number: 100097447
SWIFT Code: HFCLFJFJ
International SWIFT: HFCLFJFJXXX
