Ex-Bengal CM Buddhadeb's health condition improves but

critical, says doctor
    Kolkata, Dec 10 (PTI) The health condition of former
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya improved a
bit on Thursday morning but remained "critical", hospital
sources said.
    A five-member team of doctors will be reviewing his
condition at around 10 am to decide on the next course of
treatment, they said.
    "His health condition has improved a bit. He is also
maintaining a steady PCO2 level and the reading of which is at
42 this morning. This is normal for COPD patients.
    "He is on ventilator support and his condition remains
critical," a senior official of the hospital where he is
undergoing treatment said.
    Bhattacharya, 76, was put on mechanical ventilator
support at the critical care unit of the private hospital
where he was admitted on Wednesday afternoon as his
breathing-related problems aggravated.
    The veteran CPI(M) leader's oxygen saturation level is
at around 90-95 per cent, and he has regained consciousness,
the official said.
    A senior doctor of the health facility expressed hope
of putting Bhattacharjee off the ventilator if he continues
responding in such a positive manner.
    Bhattacharya tested negative for COVID-19 but the CT
scan of his brain showed old lacunar infarcts.
    The veteran CPI(M) leader was initially put on non-
invasive ventilation (BIPAP) at the hospital after which his
oxygen saturation improved to 95 per cent.
    However, his condition deteriorated on Wednesday
evening and he was put on mechanical ventilation.
    A five-member team of senior doctors, including a
cardiologist and a pulmonologist, was constituted to monitor
his health condition.
    Bhattacharya, who was the chief minister of West
Bengal from 2000 to 2011, has been suffering from COPD
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and other old age-
related ailments for quite some time. He has been away from
public life for the past few years due to his health.
    He had stepped down from the CPI(M)'s politburo and
the central committee in 2015, and gave up membership of the
state secretariat in 2018.
    West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the hospital and enquired
about Bhattacharya's health condition, praying for his quick
recovery. PTI SCH
BDC BDC

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)