Basu Still On Ventilator but ‘Stable’

Though still on ventilator, CPM veteran Jyoti Basu, who was hospitalized on January 1 following a pneumonia attack, is stable, said hospital official.

“He is stable with ventilator support. His condition is the same as it was late Wednesday,” AMRI hospital medical superintendent Debasish Sharma said.

Sitaram Yechury, CPM politburo member, visited Basu early Thursday morning and said that he was responding to a new course of antibiotics.

“The doctors said he is responding to the new antibiotic. He is better than what he was Wednesday morning,” Yechuri said.

A medical board comprising of eight specialists is assessing Basu’s health condition. “He has been a fighter all his life. And now also he is fighting.”

A lot of disinformation was aired on Wednesday about the 95-year-old communist’s condition, said Yechury.

“All this disinformation (being spread) should stop. We have to rely on the information the doctors are providing,” he added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was slated to call on the ailing leader around noon Thursday. Among other political luminaries scheduled to visit him are CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary AB Bardhan.

Basu, who was West Bengal chief minister from 1977 to 2000, had to be put on ventilator support early Wednesday when his condition became ‘very critical’ following breathing problems.

However, later in the evening a hospital medical bulletin said that his condition had slightly improved.

Basu was hospitalised Jan 1 following respiratory problems. A CT scan later revealed that he had pneumonia.