Philippine Ambassador Visits Separated Conjoined Twins at King Abdullah Hospital in Riyadh

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Raymond Balatbat, visited the Filipino conjoined twins (Klia and Morris Ann) and (Olivia and Gianna) at King Abdullah Specialist Children's Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City, affiliated with the Ministry of National Guard in Riyadh. The visit aimed to check on their health condition and follow up on their recovery stages after undergoing two highly complex separation surgeries.

During the visit, the ambassador reviewed the health status of the twins, met with their families and the medical teams overseeing their treatment plans and stages. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, and praised the advanced medical care and outstanding efforts provided to the twins and the specialized medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, wishing them a speedy recovery and abundant health and safety.

The twins (Klia and Morris Ann) underwent a complex separation surgery on April 23, 2026, as they were conjoined at the head. The operation was carried out in five stages with the participation of a specialized medical team, due to a number of highly complex medical factors, the most notable being: a complicated angle position of the heads, extensive sharing of the cerebral venous sinuses, and brain tissue overlap between the two girls. Additionally, (Klia) suffered from heart muscle insufficiency and severe kidney atrophy with complete renal failure.

As for the twins (Olivia and Gianna), they underwent a separation surgery on June 18, 2026, after being conjoined at the chest and abdomen with a shared liver. One of them suffered from congenital heart defects that posed a life-threatening risk.