Doctors recommend Sharif ‘specialised’ heart treatment

Medical board chief says most of former PM’s illnesses treatable in Pakistan

LAHORE: In view of his medical examination and reports, a medical board has recommended a specialised heart treatment for former primer Nawaz Sharif, who is currently serving a seven-year jail sentence handed down by an accountability court in December last year.

“After examining Sharif’s medical test and reports, the board has drafted recommendations and forwarded them to Punjab Home Department. Any further decision regarding his treatment would be taken on Home Department’s instruction,” said the medical board head Dr Ayaz Mehmood on Tuesday.

“Much of his illnesses are treatable in Pakistan,” he added.
The doctor was responding to a question regarding Nawaz Sharif’s stay at hospital, where he was shifted in view of his heart problems.

Dr Mehmood refused to disclose specifics of the recommendations but did reveal that they have recommended a specialised heart treatment for former premier.

He said Sharif was referred to them by the Home Department under three ‘terms of references’ –to conduct his detailed medical examination, to do his detailed medical tests and to prescribe him medicines, if needed.

He said on his arrival on Saturday, the first thing the board did was to conduct Sharif’s medical examination. He said the board comprised of head of departments of medicines, endocrinology chest surgery, nephrology and radiology.

The doctor said the test including blood test, hormones test, heart test, CT scan of prostate and liver and ultrasound of stomach were conducted on his day of arrival. He said in view of results of the tests, radiological examination of blood vessels of legs, stomach, intestines, and brain was also done.

“After receiving reports of all these tests, we have made minor changes to medication. Nawaz Sharif has heart problem, blood pressure problem, kidney problem and blood vessel problem. Since he is a patient of Home Department so any further decision regarding him would be made by the Home Department.”

Punjab government on the other hand rejected rumours that Sharif was being shifted back to Kot Lakhpat Jail. Punjab Chief Minister’s spokesman Dr Shehbaz Gill said there is no reality in rumours. “The decision regarding Sharif return would be taken in view of newly received medical reports,” he said.

Sharif’s daughter Maryam before leaving from Service Hospital thanked the party workers for their support and also appealed to people to pray for Sharif’s health. On arrival she briefing spoke to journalists, revealing that Sharif wanted to go back to jail to defuse to rumours that any relaxation was being extended to him by allowing him to prolong his stay in a VIP hospital room.

A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Tanveer, after meeting the former primer said Sharif’s health conditions are not good but his spirit and moral are all time high.

“Nawaz Sharif is less concerned about his own health and more concerned about the deteriorating economic situation of the country. Due to his health condition, Nawaz Sharif is already in pain and statements given by a minister’s has further augmented his pain,” he added.

He rejected the rumours of any deal with the power that be and said the PML-N has challenged the rumour-mongers to disclose who is asking for a deal.

“The PTI is making a hue and cry about a deal. Tomorrow if Nawaz Sharif gets a bail from the court, the PTI would try and frame it as deal as well which was pity. He said that we reject all allegation of deal.