Odisha state health minister and the parents of the craniopagus twins who were operated at AIIMS, Delhi last year have requested authorities at the premium medical institute to retain the twins until their medical treatment is complete.

Odisha government has urged the authorities of AIIMS, New Delhi to allow the conjoined twins, who were separated in a marathon operation in the hospital, to stay there till their complete recovery, state Health Minister Pratap Jena today said. The craniopagus twins who were joined at the head were separated in an 11-hour surgery conducted by a special team of doctors comprising 20 surgeons at AIIMS on October 25 last year.

"One of the twins is still under treatment though the other has recovered. Therefore we have requested AIIMS New Delhi to keep them under its supervision," Jena told reporters. The parents of the twins had urged the state government to request for continuing the treatment of the twins in the Delhi hospital till they recover completely. "The twin who is still under treatment is being fed with the help of tubes and he is vomiting after being fed. How can we admit the child to SCB Hospital in Cuttack in this condition?" asked the father of the twins.

The parents also said that the two should be allowed treatment at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar instead of at SCB Medical College and Hopsital in Cuttack after their discharge from AIIMS, New Delhi. The conjoined twins, who hail from Milipada village in tribal Kandhamal district, were admitted in AIIMS, New Delhi on July 13 last year. The Odisha government had provided Rs 1 crore financial assistance while Kandhamal administration gave Rs 1 lakh for their surgery.