Two conjoined Ghanaian twins who were separated 22 years ago have reunited with the doctor who performed their life-saving surgery.

Identical twins Lydia and Linda Awui, who were born conjoined at the chest and abdomen, were separated by Doctor Winfred Mensah Hodasi at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in 1999.

The twins, who are now in their 20s, met with the now 82-year-old doctor on the set of the GBC’s breakfast show ‘GTVBreakfast’.

According to the news site GBC Ghana, during the meeting, the doctor and his former patients discussed the 4.5-hour-long operation that was considered cutting-edge and extremely dangerous back in 1999.

Doctor Hodasi said: “I was able to put my team together for the operation which we carried out doing in facilities that were not the same as today, meaning the chances of the girls surviving was low.”

He added that today advances in technology make it easier to identify where the twins are conjoined allowing doctors to better identify the right points of separation.

He said: “I am very happy that I have met them because that is what a doctor should do. They are supposed to help and save lives and knowing that they [the twins] are alive and well makes me extremely happy.”

Lydia and Linda were in tears as they said: “We haven’t had the chance to meet him until now but we have always prayed for him.”

The twins added: “We thank God for bringing him into our lives. He is a great man and we want to thank him.”

The twins’ parents also took the opportunity to thank the doctor and the rest of the team who operated on their daughters.