Prime Minister Manmohan Singh making "excellent progress"

New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) A day after undergoing a 11-hour long coronary bypass surgery, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is making "excellent progress" and is eager to return to work as soon as possible, doctors attending on him said Sunday.

"We are happy to inform that the Prime Minister is
making excellent progress. .... He is fully conscious, quite
comfortable and is eager to return to work as soon as
possible," Dr K S Reddy, personal physician to the Prime
Minister, said at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) where five grafts were done to overcome the blockages
to Singh's heart.

At a joint press conference in which Dr Ramakant
Panda, the lead cardiac surgeon who carried out the re-do
beating heart bypass, Dr Vijay D'Silva (both from Asian Heart
Institute, Mumbai) and Dr Sampath Kumar, chief of cardio
vascular unit of the AIIMS, Reddy said that in four weeks,
Singh can do virtually all work and could be fit even for a
public meeting.

"Even before this, he can do many things," he said
replying to a volley of questions on how fast Singh could
resume normal work.

The tube through which respiratory assistance was
given to the Prime Minister was removed at 0100 hours (IST)
Sunday and he has been "breathing on his own", he said, adding
"we are hoping to remove most of the monitoring lines as soon
as possible."

Reddy said the Prime Minister was "fully conscious"
and has been talking to both doctors as well as family
members.

"In fact, that is his frequently expressed wish," he
said referring to Prime Minister's desire to get back to work
as quickly as possible.

The date of discharge has not been finalised, but
looking at his progress the doctors do not think that Singh
would have to remain there for long, he said.

Panda said by all parameters, "he is doing far better
than what we expected. We have started liquids for him. He has
started taking water, fruit juices. Tomorrow evening, we will
give him solids."

Reddy said Singh is expected to be "mobilised" from
his bed tomorrow and "we are hoping that his progress
continues at the same rate and enabling early mobilisation and
discharge."

Kumar said the Prime Minister was doing "exceedingly
well" and was doing better than one had actually anticipated.
He is awake and conscious and is talking.

He read out a statement on his conversation with the
Prime Minister, who had said he had chosen AIIMS because he
had confidence in their abilities and to encourage the public
to have confidence in the AIIMS.

"I hope the ordinary man recieves 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 and I thank you very much,"
Singh was quoted as having said.

Kumar said the AIIMS was doing it for common man for
many years. Panda interjected to say that generally all heart
patients are given the same attention.

Reddy dismissed a question that diagnosis of the Prime
Minister's current heart problems was done late. He recalled
the Prime Minister's earlier operative history in which grafts
were done and stents were placed a few years ago.

"Periodically, tests were done almost every three
months and the last round was done in October. He has been
very actively functioning. Only recently when he experienced
some symptoms it was found that the stents implanted in 2004
had developed blockages. Well, he was extensively monitored."

Kumar said in coronary disease, ageing increases the
blockages.

Replying to a question, Reddy said that the Prime
Minister would remain in the hospital at least for another
five to six days.

"Today is the first day after the operation. There will
be three-four days more when he will remain here. After we
discharge him from here, his treatment will continue at his
residence. At that time, the doctors themselves will decide
when it will be right for him to start his office work," he
said. PTI SWT