When one of the conjoined twins died of malaria, a medical student who had organized surgery to separate them in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said he was "furious.".
In 2017, a group of volunteer surgeons flew Anick and Destin from the remote village of Muzombo to the nation's capital, Kinshasa, where they underwent surgery.
But before the twins turned one, Destin passed away.
"I couldn't believe how one could die of an easily treatable condition," said Dr. Junior Mudji. ".
He admitted to being "furious and angry" to the BBC.
"It is tragic whenever a child under the age of five passes away from malaria, but this particular case really touched me. ".
Dr. Mudji, a student in the Said Business School's global healthcare leadership program, reconnected with the family in Destin's remote village and learned what had happened to him.
"It was a feeling of devastation," he remarked. It was inadmissible.
"I was shocked to learn, but at the same time, it happens frequently in my hospital," she said. We experience the death of a child from malaria almost daily. ".
Dr Mudji is also chief of research and director of education at Vanga Evangelical Hospital.
He declared, "Malaria is still a significant killer.". About 12% of all malaria cases worldwide are reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We obviously have a ton of work to do.
"Help is needed. Accepting the fact that a child was rescued from a dire circumstance only for them to later pass away from malaria is challenging. This is evident in the disparities and injustices in the world's health systems. ".
In order to "innovate what we can do with the local communities," he urged pharmaceutical companies and politicians to "combine their energy, knowledge, and skills.".
The twins shared some internal organs when they were born at 37 weeks gestation, joined at the navel.
When their parents Claudine Mukhena and Zaiko Munzadi realized they needed surgery, they wrapped the children in a blanket and left on a long journey.
The 870-mile (1,400-km) round trip for the one-week-old girls required them to travel through jungle, on perilous roads, and by air.
According to Dr. Mudji, the procedure to separate conjoined twins was a first for the nation.
Most infants and babies who contract malaria die. Africa is disproportionately affected by this parasite disease, which is spread by mosquito bites.
The first significant global campaign against malaria launched last year and was created by the pharmaceutical company GSK.
