Jyoti Basu remains ‘extremely critical’, Bachchan visits (Roundup)

KOLKATA - Veteran Marxist Jyoti Basu remained “extremely critical” Saturday in a city hospital after multi-organ failure, as doctors attending to him put him on dialysis.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in the city to attend official programmes, wished speedy recovery to the 95-year-old leader, while Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan visited the hospital in the evening.

“Basu’s condition is still extremely critical. He has been put on maximum ventilator support and he is in a state of multi-organ failure,” a medical bulletin released by the AMRI Hospital authorities said.

“He has now been put on slow, low efficiency daily dialysis (SLEDD),” the bulletin said with his relatives, party comrades and admirers gathered outside.

Earlier, A.K. Maity, who heads the eight-member medical board treating the former West Bengal chief minister, said Basu’s five body organs - brain, liver, kidney, lungs and heart - were not functioning properly.

“AMRI Hospital’s nephrologists had a talk with their counterparts at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) regarding Basu’s treatment last night (Friday),” Maity said, adding they had changed some of the medicines Saturday.

“But we can’t say what is going to happen. Or when it will happen,” he said.

“The doctors have given more support to stabilise the blood pressure of the ailing 95-year-old leader,” the medical report said.

It also pointed out that Basu’s blood pressure and urine output had dropped and the level of carbon dioxide in his body increased last (Friday) night.

Describing Jyoti Basu as a “great son of India”, Manmohan Singh wished the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader a speedy recovery.

“I would like to make a mention of another very distinguished old boy of St. Xavier’s and a great son of India, Shri Jyoti Basu. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and I wish him a speedy recovery,” the prime minister said, addressing the 150th anniversary celebrations of St. Xavier’s Collegiate School here.

Amitabh Bachchan stayed in the hospital for about 30 minutes and expressed concern for the veteran leader’s constantly deteriorating health.

Bachchan, who was here in the city to promote his film “Rann”, spoke to doctors attending to Basu.

“He waited with all of us on the ninth floor of the hospital. He has left a ‘get well soon” note for Basu,” CPI-M leader Md. Salim told reporters.

CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat, who reached the hospital in the evening accompanied by his wife and party comrade Brinda Karat, said Basu was fighting and clinging on.

“His condition is still very critical. But he is fighting and he is still clinging on. Let’s wait and watch. The doctors are doing their best,” said Karat.

The communist veteran was hospitalised after a pneumonia attack and admitted in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) of the Salt Lake-based private hospital Jan 1.

Born 1914 in Kolkata, Basu became chief minister of West Bengal in June 1977. He stepped down voluntarily on health grounds in November 2000.