SC notice to Centre on medical help for Bihar conjoined twins

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought assistance from the Attorney General for India and issued notice to Bihar government on a PIL narrating the pitiable condition of teenaged twins Saba and Farah, who were born joined in their head and now enduring excruciating pain unable to afford medical help because of impoverished parents.
A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra sought assistance of the AG, G E Vahanvati, after a PIL by law student Aarushi Dhasmana quoted a newspaper report to say that the impoverished parents have appealed for mercy killing since they are unable to afford expensive medical intervention needed to separate the twins.
Dhasmana's counsel Ravi P Gupta said for the last four months the twins were bedridden and many times rendered unconscious by the intense pain and appealed to the court to direct both Union and state governments to render all assistance in preserving the life of the twins.
Invoking the apex court's earlier judgements that mandated the state to ensure that right to life was no animal existence and came with all coupled facilities and dignity, the law student said the case needed attention of experts as Farah has two kidneys while Saba has none. "But, this should not deter the state from applying surgical procedure to separate the twins, as this could enable one of them to lead a healthy life," she said.
"State is bound to protect Farah's right to life even if it leads to death of Saba. Farah is not duty bound to allow her kidney to be used by Saba, especially under the circumstances when her own life is in danger," the petitioner added.