Newly elected NC prez hospitalized

KATHMANDU, Sept 22: The Nepali Congress cadres used to the long-standing chest problems of former president Girija Prasad Koirala may have had a strange sense of déjà vu when his successor Sushil Koirala was admitted at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) with pneumonia just hours after being elected the president of the grand old party.

But doctors say, to the relief of the party rank and file, the similarity in the medical condition of the two ends there and the new party president has no serious health worries apart from the oral cancer that has been subdued.

“He (Sushil) doesn´t smoke,” senior leader Dr Shekhar Koirala, a close relative of both the leaders, dismissed the comparison of the incumbent president with the predecessor known for his chain-smoking.

GP had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) due to years of smoking, and had frequent complaints of pneumonia. “Grija Prasad Koirala´s immune system had been impaired by COPD and he would frequently have pneumonia and other chest problems,” senior chest specialist Dr Arjun Karki, who treated GP for around four years till his death, reminisced.

On the other hand, Sushil, 73 doesn´t have previous history of serious pulmonary problems. “The only chest problem we can recall occurred due to fluctuations in temperature of air-conditioned space and the sweltering heat when he was on a visit to Surkhet and Rukum last year,” Dr Karbir Nath Yogi, who is currently involved in treatment of Sushil at the TUTH, said.

Sushil Koirala´s current illness is attributed to the exertion during the 12th general convention of the part. “He got caught in the rain on the day of inauguration and caught cold,” Dr Koirala added. Sushil was running a temperature, Dr Koirala said, for the past three days and didn´t stay long after casting his vote even during the election Tuesday.

“He had a temperature of 104-105 degree Centigrade for the last two days and was on antibiotics,” Dr Koirala revealed. Dr Yogi said Sushil was admitted to the hospital after these antibiotics didn´t work. “He´s now in a stable condition with a normal blood pressure. We have started new antibiotics and he will be kept at the hospital for anything between 3-5 days,” Dr Yogi added.

Dr Koirala claimed that Sushil´s health condition didn´t warrant hospitalization and was taken to TUTH for precaution.

“Taking rest at the hospital is obviously more comfortable. But we got him hospitalized much due to fear that he would catch infections at home from hundreds of visitors who may be suffering from a myriad of health problems,” Dr Koirala reasoned.

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