Nawaz to be shifted to Sharif Medical City today

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif would be shifted from Services Hospital to Sharif Medical City hospital of Lahore on Wednesday (today).

Hospital sources earlier claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo had been discharged from the Services Hospital where he had been undergoing treatment for the past two weeks.

The hospital sources claimed that Sharif and Dr Mahmood Ayaz, the head of the medical board which was formed to look after the former prime minister’s medical treatment, spoke to each other. “When I want to leave, I’ll let you know,” Sharif reportedly told Ayaz. He was quoted as saying that Services Hospital’s doctors will treat Sharif as long as he remained in the hospital. Sharif’s mother and his brother Shahbaz Sharif visited the former prime minister to enquire after him on Tuesday.

Talking to the media, Dr Ayaz also said Sharif needed to go abroad for treatment. “The Health Department should talk to us,” he said, adding the medical board set up for Sharif’s treatment would give in writing that he should undergo genetic test from abroad. His remarks followed a meeting between a 12-member board of the hospital to review Sharif’s health situation and decide the future course of his treatment.

Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Professor Dr Ayaz said the foreign visit would become essential if doctors want to examine his body tissues in order to diagnose the exact cause of his illness. He said the PML-N supremo was not facing a minor genetic issue, adding the genetic test of the former prime minister was not possible in Pakistan.

The medical board had suggested to carry out genetic test of Sharif to diagnose his illness. Dr Ayaz also said some tests of Sharif will be conducted from foreign countries.

Dr Ayaz, however, added that Sharif’s health had seen an overall improvement. “If he wishes to travel he can.” He said Sharif’s condition had seen a slight improvement but added his CBC report had shown a decline in platelet level yet again. His platelet level now stood at 30,000 per microlitre of blood, he said.

According to Dr Ayaz, it has been decided that the dose of steroids should be lowered even further. The medical board chief said Sharif’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels were also beyond what was considered normal. “We have now removed restrictions from his diet plan. Sharif will now have a simple diet instead of a restricted one. It has also been decided that his water intake should be increased and he should go for walks daily.”