Ex-Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's condition continues to be critical

Kolkata, July 30 (IANS) Despite responding to the treatment, the condition of the former West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee continued to be critical, said hospital sources on Sunday.

Bhattacharjee was admitted to the hospital on Saturday. Hospital sources said the former chief minister has been put on invasive intensive ventilation and antibiotics. Besides lower respiratory tract infection and type-II respiratory failure, the former chief minister is also reportedly suffering from some kidney- related ailments.

Sources aware of the development said that initially after admission, Bhattacharjee was put on non-invasive ventilation. However, late Saturday night he had to be put on invasive ventilation depending on the criticality. After admission, he was also kept on  continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) support. 

An eight- member medical board, which includes the personal physician of Bhattacharjee, is scheduled to meet again on Sunday around 11.30 a.m. and decide on the line of the treatment and next course of action.

He had been a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient for quite some time.

Sources said that his health condition had been deteriorating for the last few days. However, he refused to adhere to the doctor’s advice and get admitted to the hospital. However, since Saturday afternoon his condition started deteriorating fast and the oxygen saturation level started dropping fast.

So, finally the team of doctors treating him decided to get him admitted to the hospital without further delay. He was brought to the hospital by a critical care ambulance sent from the hospital.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) sources close to him said that the condition of the former chief minister might not have deteriorated so much had he not ignored the doctor’s advice for hospitalization a couple of days ago when the symptoms of deterioration started showing.

Sources also said that Bhattacharjee is always reluctant on getting hospitalized and even insisted on fast release from hospital whenever he had been admitted in earlier instances.