Jamaica is celebrating a moment of hope and gratitude following the successful separation of conjoined twins Azaria and Azora Elson, who underwent life-changing surgery in Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The twins, who are 20 months old, left Jamaica in July 2025 for the complex procedure at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh. They are Omphalopagus twins, joined at the abdomen and sharing a liver, a rare congenital condition occurring in approximately one in every 50,000 to 150,000 live births worldwide. The girls had remained under care at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) since birth due to their condition and associated medical complications, including congenital heart abnormalities.
Their departure was made possible through the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which facilitated dialogue between UHWI and officials of the Government of Saudi Arabia. Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Saudi Ambassador Dr. Waleed bin Abdulrahman Alhamoudi, and the twins’ father, Odane Elson, were among those who saw them off at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.
The twins were supported by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, which covered all medical, transportation, and logistical costs. The Saudi Programme for Separating Conjoined Twins, now in its third decade, has achieved remarkable success, having separated 66 pairs of conjoined twins worldwide.
On Thursday, Minister Johnson Smith shared the news of the successful surgery on social media. “Dear Jamaica, in our own difficult times, there are blessings for which we are grateful,” she wrote. “For everyone who prayed for little Azora and Azaria, our conjoined twins, they were separated this morning by the skillful surgical team of the King Salman Humanitarian Mission in Saudi Arabia.”
The minister confirmed that both twins are currently stable, although one will require additional heart surgery for an unrelated condition. She urged Jamaicans to continue keeping the twins, their parents, and the medical team in their prayers.
The twins’ father, Odane Elson, had previously expressed gratitude for the support from the Ministry, the UHWI team, and the Saudi Government, while praising the resilience of the twins’ mother, Iesha McMurray, who has been a constant source of care and strength throughout their medical journey.
The successful operation marks a milestone not only for the twins and their family but also for the Jamaican community, which has followed their journey from Kingston to Riyadh with hope and anticipation.
