Indian PM discharged from AIIMS after surgery

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh was Sunday discharged from AIIMS, more than a week after
he underwent a successful coronary bypass surgery at the
prestigious hospital in the national capital.

"Prime Minister has been discharged from AIIMS. He was
very cheerful and was enquiring about activities and
happenings. He is on his way to recovery," Union Health
Minister Ambumani Ramdoss told reporters here.

"I am sure he will recover quickly and it is going to
take him about 2 to 3 weeks to come to office and work. In
fact, in a week's time, he will start working from home. By
the pace of his recovery, I am sure he will come to office in
2-3 weeks," he said.

Before getting into the car, the 76-year-old Prime
Minister thanked all the doctors and staff who attended on him
during the surgery and post-operation period, PM's Media
Advisor Deepak Sandhu said. He was accompanied by his wife and
a daughter.

"He is pleased to be back at home," she said, adding his
physiotherapy will continue.

The Prime Minister was discharged after the doctors
completed the pre-discharge tests Saturday. He was admitted
in the hospital on January 23 and underwent the surgery the
next day.

The decision to discharge Singh from the hospital was
taken by a team of doctors from Mumbai's Asian Heart Institute
(AHI) led by surgeon Dr Ramakant Panda.

When asked about post-surgery concerns, Ramadoss said,
"Infection is primarily of most concern for us. And we have
seen that he has recovered very well".

Ramadoss said, "The Prime Minister has been walking in
the last few days. Yesterday, he was walking in the corridor
for quite some time and the distance covered, the doctors
said, was nearly 500 metres.

"He has already started seeing files. We have asked him
to go slow".

The complex coronary 're-do' bypass surgery on the Prime
Minister was conducted by Dr Panda, who led a team of doctors
from AHI and AIIMS. He was moved out of the ICU on January 28.

Ahead of his discharge, doctors had completed the process
of installing all the required machines at his official
residence to monitor his condition.

Cardiac rehabilitation specialist Dr Ashish Contractor
from AHI and Dr Vijay D'Silva besides three nurses from the
Mumbai-based hospital will monitor the Prime Minister's
condition at his residence.

"There will be a team (of doctors) with him until he
recovers fully. Dr Panda will be here. He has been here
throughout and will be here for a couple of days more," he
said. PTI