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| Conjoined twins survive gruelling journey to separation | Conjoined twins survive gruelling journey to separation |
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| Conjoined twins born in a remote village in the Democratic Republic of Congo have survived a 15-hour journey on the back of a motorbike to be separated. | Conjoined twins born in a remote village in the Democratic Republic of Congo have survived a 15-hour journey on the back of a motorbike to be separated. |
| They were then flown to the capital, Kinshasa, where they were operated on by a team of volunteer surgeons. | |
| In total, the one-week-old girls had to endure an 870-mile (1,400km) round trip across jungle, on treacherous roads and by air. | |
| The twins are now being monitored. | The twins are now being monitored. |
| The babies - Anick and Destin - will return to their village in three weeks. They were born at 37 weeks in August, were joined at the navel, and did not share any internal organs. | The babies - Anick and Destin - will return to their village in three weeks. They were born at 37 weeks in August, were joined at the navel, and did not share any internal organs. |
| About one in every 200,000 live births results in conjoined twins and their survival is never certain, especially in remote areas where no medical help is available. | About one in every 200,000 live births results in conjoined twins and their survival is never certain, especially in remote areas where no medical help is available. |
| But to the astonishment of doctors, these twins were born naturally in the village of Muzombo, in the west of the African country. | But to the astonishment of doctors, these twins were born naturally in the village of Muzombo, in the west of the African country. |
| Realising that the babies needed surgery, their parents Claudine Mukhena and Zaiko Munzadi wrapped the babies in a blanket and set off on an epic journey through jungle to their nearest hospital in Vanga. | Realising that the babies needed surgery, their parents Claudine Mukhena and Zaiko Munzadi wrapped the babies in a blanket and set off on an epic journey through jungle to their nearest hospital in Vanga. |
| Without the equipment or experience to carry out the complex separation surgery in the small hospital, doctors transferred them to a hospital in Kinshasa more than 300 miles away. | Without the equipment or experience to carry out the complex separation surgery in the small hospital, doctors transferred them to a hospital in Kinshasa more than 300 miles away. |
| To get there, the family was flown by MAT, a humanitarian airline which operates in remote regions, rather than risk another long journey over dangerous roads. | To get there, the family was flown by MAT, a humanitarian airline which operates in remote regions, rather than risk another long journey over dangerous roads. |
| Dr Junior Mudji, who is now caring for them at Vanga Evangelical Hospital, said he was delighted. | Dr Junior Mudji, who is now caring for them at Vanga Evangelical Hospital, said he was delighted. |
| "At 37 weeks, conjoined twins born naturally - it's unheard of," he said. | "At 37 weeks, conjoined twins born naturally - it's unheard of," he said. |
| "They are doing fine, they sleep well and eat well. In general, they are doing well. | "They are doing fine, they sleep well and eat well. In general, they are doing well. |
| "We will keep them here for three more weeks to be sure everything is normal." | "We will keep them here for three more weeks to be sure everything is normal." |
| Dr Mudji believes the operation was the first to separate conjoined twins in the Democratic Republic of Congo. | Dr Mudji believes the operation was the first to separate conjoined twins in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |