Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has recovered fully after 43 days in hospital, the Apollo Hospitals announced on Friday.
“She is very satisfied. She is completely recovered and understands what is going around her,” Pratap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, told reporters. He added that it was up to Jayalalithaa to decide when to return home. “The most important part of the treatment is over.”
The 68-year-old AIADMK leader was admitted to Apollo Hospitals with fever and dehydration on September 22. Doctors later said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she had infection and was put on respiratory support. Reddy said a large team of doctors oversaw her recovery.
He said the prayers of millions of people across the nation also “helped us to restore Jayalalithaa’s health”. He said Jayalalithaa had not asked when she could go home but it must be on the top of her mind.
Earlier, AIADMK leader and spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan told IANS that Jayalalithaa would soon be moved out of the critical care unit (CCU) to a private room. “The lung infection is under control. She has passed the critical stage. The respiratory system is being weaned away. It is being used on and off,” Ponnaiyan said. Ponnaiyan said for the past one week Jayalalithaa was having semi-solid food. She was also talking with people now.
According to Apollo, a team of specialists like cardiologists, respiratory physicians, consultants for infectious diseases, diabetologist and endocrinologist continued to treat Jayalalithaa. In its last medical bulletin issued on October 21, Apollo Hospitals said Jayalalithhaa “is interacting (with people) and progressing gradually”.
According to Ponnaiyan, it was for the doctors to decide when the Chief Minister could be discharged. “Her health condition has improved now. The remaining health issues can be addressed while she is in a room or even at her residence,” Ponnaiyan added. He said Jayalalithaa suffered from acute lung infection, which in turn aggravated the problem. She had high fever for nearly 18 days at the hospital due to the infection.
