Buddhadeb on ventilator support, responding to treatment: Hospital

According to sources in the hospital, a CT scan of his chest would help them decide the further course of treatment.

“Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s health condition remains critical but stable as oxygen saturation in his blood has improved. His blood pressure has also improved. He is responding to the treatment but he is still not out of danger. Our doctors closely monitored him the entire night and there was no major deterioration in his condition,” PTI quoted a doctor of the hospital, as saying.

Bhattacharjee is suffering from a lower respiratory tract infection and suffered Type II respiratory failure on Saturday afternoon, following which he was rushed to the private hospital from his Palm Avenue residence via a green corridor.

A multidisciplinary medical team, comprising Dr Kaushik Chakraborty (medicine), Dr Soutik Panda (critical care), Dr Susmita Debnath (critical care), Dr Saroj Mandal (interventional cardiology), Dr Ankan Bandyopadhyay (internal medicine and pulmonology), Dr Dhruba Bhattacharya (internal medicine and critical care), Dr Asis Patra (anesthesiology), Dr Somnath Maity (general medicine) and Dr Saptarshi Basu (physician and medical superintendent), is closely monitoring his progress, the hospital said, adding Bhattacharjee has been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other old age-related ailments for some time.

Meanwhile, a host of political leaders thronged the hospital since Sunday morning to see Bhattacharjee, who was chief minister of West Bengal for two consecutive terms — from 2000 to 2011.

Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddiqui, who was among the first to visit the hospital said that he is praying for his speedy recovery.

“Doctors are trying everything. They are keeping a 24-hour watch on the former CM’s condition,” said Siddique, adding he spoke with the doctors at the hospital.

CPI(M) leader Suryakant Mishra said Buddhadev Bhattacharjee was “much better today than last night”.

“His condition has improved from Saturday and is responding to treatment,” said senior CPI(M) leader Biman Bose.

“Everyone is worried. He is on invasive ventilation. I hope he recovers quickly. The doctors are monitoring the whole situation with great care,” CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

Bhattacharjee has been away from public life for the past few years due to his health.

He stepped down from the CPI(M)’s politburo and the central committee in 2015 and gave up membership in the state secretariat in 2018.

—With PTI inputs