Hussaini H., 3

Three-year-old Hussaini is a twin, the youngest of four children. His father works as a security officer earning about 25,000 naira a month, and his mother is a housewife. Their rented home has no electricity, and three meals a day is sometimes out of reach. Still, Hussaini is a cheerful boy who loves playing teacher to his siblings. Since birth, both his testes have never descended into his scrotum. He is otherwise healthy, active, and meeting his milestones. Doctors diagnosed bilateral undescended testes and he now needs surgery (bilateral laparoscopic orchidopexy) to reposition them.

With early surgical correction, both testes will be brought down into the scrotum and fixed. This improves the chances of normal testicular development and hormone production. With regular follow-up, Hussaini is expected to have normal growth, development, and quality of life. If left untreated, there is increased risk of infertility because sperm production is impaired by higher abdominal temperature. The risk of testicular cancer is also significantly higher in undescended testes. Delaying surgery beyond early childhood further reduces fertility potential and increases these long-term risks. Early surgical intervention gives Hussaini the best chance for normal testicular function and reduces future health risks.