Filipino conjoined twins, Olivia and Gianna Manuel have arrived in Riyadh for medical evaluation ahead of a possible seperation surgery. They travelled from the philippines on Tuesday with their family and were transferred to a specialist children’s hospital for assessment.
Filipino Conjoined Twins Arrive For Medical Evaluation
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), shared that the twins arrived under directives from Saudi Arabia’s leadership. These directives came from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saus, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Saudi authorities coordinated the twin’s journey from Manila to Riyadh with KSRelief and the Saudi Embassy in the Philipines. At the same time, reports state that officials monitored the departure process to ensure medical support during travel.
According to the KSRelief post, the twins landed at King Khalid International Airport before transferred to King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital. It added that doctors would assess the feasibility of performing a seperation surgery as part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian medical efforts.
The twins, Olivia and Giana were born in April 2024 joined from the chest to the abdomen. They represent the latest case in Saudi Arabia’s long-standing humanitarian medical program.
Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeyah, Royal Court Advisor, expressed appreciation to King Salman and the Crown Prince for their support. He noted that the initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s to develop the healthcare sector into one of the world’s best health systems.
The twins’ family also expressed appreciation for the assistance and coordination provided upon their arrival in the kingdom. In addition, they acknowledged the support received from both Saudi and Philippine authorities.
Their transfer for specialised care mirrors other international health responses covered by Charity Journal. Examples of these include, lifesaving smoke alarms installed by the American Red Cross and clean water projects implemented by UNDP for 23,000 vulnerable Somali populations using the sun.
Broader Humanitarian Context
The twins’ arrival follows KSRelief’s announcement of its 2026 operations and volunteer plans, with 309 volunteer projects across 42 countries. The humanitarian center continues to expand its reach through various programs, including medical interventions like the conjoined twins program.
This comes after KSRelief’s recent announcement of its 2026 operations and volunteer plans, which detail 309 volunteer projects across 42 countries. The humanitarian center continues to expand its reach through various programs.
Medical teams in Riyadh will complete their assessments in the coming weeks. Following the evaluation, specialists will determine whether seperation surgery can proceed and outline the next stages of treatment.
