PM recovering fast: docs

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,who underwent by-pass surgery on Saturday,has been recovering better than expected...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,who underwent by-pass surgery on Saturday,has been recovering better than expected and could even be fit for addressing public meetings in the next four weeks,doctors attending on him said on Sunday.

We are happy to inform that the Prime Minister is making excellent progress8230;. He is fully conscious,quite comfortable and is eager to return to work as soon as possible, Dr K Srinath Reddy,personal physician to the Prime Minister,said. In four weeks,he will be able to speak at public meetings, he added.

Briefing reporters,the doctors team said that the tube through which respiratory assistance was being given to Singh was removed at 1 am on Sunday.

Our team is constantly monitoring blood pressure,heart rate,oxygen saturation levels,apart from constant monitoring of heart and keeping a tab on bleeding related parameters. All parameters are better than expected, said Dr Ramakant Panda,the lead surgeon who carried out the by-pass surgery on the Prime Minister.

The doctors informed that Singh is being administered medication and therapies required after such surgeries. We are administering medication to reduce any kind of pain after the surgery. The Prime Minister is also being treated with respiratory physiotherapy and muscle therapy suitable for him, said Dr Sampath Kumar,head of cardiothoracic department at AIIMS.

We are hoping to remove most of the monitoring lines as soon as possible, Reddy said. We are hoping that his progress continues at the same rate,enabling early mobilisation and discharge, he added.

However,the doctors did not give a date for discharging the Prime Minister from the hospital. Today is the first day after the operation. There will be three-four days more when he will remain here, Reddy said.

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The doctors said that speaking from his bed in the morning the Prime Minister thanked the doctors and other staff involved in the surgery. I chose AIIMS because I have confidence in your abilities,and to encourage the public to have confidence in AIIMS. I hope the ordinary citizen will receive the same quality of care as you have given me. I am most grateful to all of you for what you have done for me. Thank you all very much, Dr Kumar quoted Singh as saying.

Meanwhile,President Pratibha Patil and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi are learnt to have spoken to Singhs wife,Gursharan Kaur. Kaur is learnt to have informed them about the Prime Ministers speedy recovery.