Vajpayee’s condition ‘stable’, Manmohan Singh pays a visit

NEWDELHI:Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 93, is stable and will continue to be hospitalised till his infection is controlled, according to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

“He is responding to treatment and is on injectable antibiotics. All vital parameters are stable,” said AIIMS in a statement.

The former PM was taken to the hospital for evaluation on Monday and was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection.

He is being monitored by a team of five doctors and is in the Intensive Care Unit in the CardioNeuro Centre of the hospital to prevent any further infections.

The entire ICU floor has been cordoned off and security around the building has been beefed up.

“There also has a chest congestion, which is expected at his age,” said an AIIMS employee. He also has pre-existing condtions of diabetes, hypertension, and impaired kidney function.

Vajpayee is under the care of AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, a pulmonologist and his personal physician. The team also includes nephrologist Dr Soumita Bagchi, cardiac surgeon Dr SK Chaudhary, and gastroenterologist Dr Pramod Garg.

“Spoke to Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS yesterday night and enquired about health of Former Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Doctor told me that Shri Atal Ji is being given treatment appropriately with utmost care. #Vajpayee,” vice president Venkaiah Naidu said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda, senior BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, Union minister for food processing industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, minister of state for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and BJP MP Kalraj Mishra and former MP Ashwani Kumar were among those who visited Vajpayee on Tuesday.

BJP Yuva Morcha performed a hawan outside AIIMS “for the long life of Atalji,” said Pankaj Jain, treasurer of the Delhi unit.