A human Right activist on May 29 requested the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to direct the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi not to discharge the conjoined twins from Odisha, undergoing treatment till they are fully recovered.

Rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy also requested the NCST to either visit AIIMS and enquire about the condition of the children or to send a team to enquire the condition of the children and their parents. Mr Tripathy challenged various pleas taken in the report submitted by the AIIMS Authorities for discharging the twins and said the case should be given utmost importance as both the children are alive after surgery against the survival rate of 10 to 20 per cent in international level in similar cases.

Mr Tripathy said the report submitted by AIIMS admitted that the condition of on of the twins is not good as on date. “One of the twins is breathing through a tracheostomy tube and he is taking oral feeds of custards/yogurts/banana. He is currently being mobilized by physiotherapy and rehabilitation team on wheel chair. ENT team advised that they should keep tracheostomy tube for few more months till he gains head control.”

Mr Tripathy said the uneducated poor parents cannot take care of the children, as the AIIMS authorities said the boy has several  problems including breathing and feeding. ENT team advised that they should keep tracheostomy tube for few more months till he  gains head control. He said while shifting from Delhi to Odisha there can be infection in the tracheostomy tube or windpipe

The report said the boy currently needs good nutrition support to build up his body nutrition reserves and physiotherapy for continued recovery. Its also questionable whether the same experts and similar treatment can be provided to him in case they are shifted. The other child is not fully fit till date. Both Jaga and Balia share emotional bonding on the bed. They have acclimatized themselves in AIIMS atmosphere. Therefore its highly important to keep both the brothers in AIIMS campus till they get fully recovered, Mr Tripathy said.

In the report the Authorities accepted that ‘the twin with more complications will take several months for complete recovery and long term outcome is unpredictable as he is having only 50 per cent of normal anticipated brain volume of his age. It is not scientifically feasible to predict full long term outcome for him. Such critical analysis and dangerous apprehension by the AIIMS itself pose extremely serious question of human rights of the twins. If they are sent back to Odisha where the infrastructure, ancillary and incidental facilities are lacking it will pose a threat to their lives, the right activist argued.