Doctors refuse to discharge Nawaz from hospital citing serious health risk: sources

LAHORE: Doctors treating former prime minister Nawaz Sharif have refused to discharge the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo citing serious health risk, sources informed Geo News on Monday.

Nawaz, who was admitted to Lahore's Services Hospital almost a week ago and is being treated under the supervision of the facility's special medical board, had experienced once more a dip in his platelet count a day prior, with the number going down from 45,000 to 25,000.

Also read: Nawaz’s health deteriorates again amid low platelet count

The platelet count, according to the special medical board, had decreased due to the medicines he was being administered for his cardiac disease following a minor heart attack earlier. However, doctors stopped giving him that medicine, following which his platelet count rose back up.

Doctors further advised to keep the PML-N leader in the hospital till platelet count is normal. He faces a serious health concern, they added, which is they maintained that they could not risk shifting or discharging him.

Major challenge

Nawaz in his current condition cannot be moved from the hospital, the doctors said.

Did you know that Nawaz is unwilling to leave Pakistan?

Separately, sources explained that treating the PML-N supremo had become a major challenge for the medical board as the steroids he was being administered to bump up his platelet count worsened his condition in terms of blood pressure and diabetes.

Doctors noted that if they focused on heart and kidneys, Nawaz's platelet count fell but if the attention was instead shifted to his platelet count, his heart and kidneys problems increased. The results of his kidney tests were not satisfactory, which is why the heart medication he was being given was stopped.

Full body scan

Doctors could not give him the medication for his heart condition at a time when his platelet count was 25,000, they said, adding that they were quite concerned because of both his heart and platelet count.

Read more: AGP says unhappy with way Nawaz’s case was handled

According to sources, the doctors have also decided to carry out a full body scan, which they hope would reveal all the body parts that have been affected.

On the other hand, Nawaz's mother visited him in the hospital to inquire about his health. On a lighter note, the former premier also had his facial hair trimmed with an electric shaver.

Nawaz submits exemption request to IHC

The ex-PM also had his request for exemption from appearance, citing ill health so can't appear submitted to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier today ahead of a hearing pertaining to the interim bail granted to him on medical grounds, as well as the petition of disposition of his sentence on Tuesday.

Also read: NAB didn’t oppose Nawaz’s bail plea on humanitarian grounds

On Saturday, the IHC had accepted and approved Nawaz's bail plea in the Al-Azizia reference until Tuesday against two bonds worth Rs2 million but asked the federal and Punjab governments to provide a concrete answer related to the plea.

The same day, the former prime minister's brother, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, had approached the court for an early hearing on the disposition of the former premier’s sentence.

Related:

Nawaz Sharif granted interim bail in Al-Azizia reference on medical grounds

LHC grants bail to Nawaz Sharif in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case