The condition of veteran CPI-M leader Jyoti Basu, who is battling pneumonia, has shown no significant improvement and he continues to be on ventilatory support.
"Last night there was an episode of irregularity of heart beat which was treated adequately. He is not having anything after that.
There has been no significant improvement in his condition and he continues to be on partial ventilation support," a medical bulletin issued by D N Agarwal, Executive Director of AMRI Hospital, said on Saturday .
"His vitals remained the same as was yesterday. He was given food by rice tube," he said. In response to the offer yesterday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to arrange for a specialist from anywhere in the country for consultation, he said the medical board has decided to have a video conference with specialists of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for their opinion for further management of 95-year-old Basu's condition.
Agarwal said the line of treatment would be discussed and in case further change in treatment was required or need for a doctor arose, a decision would be taken after the video conference.
"We are trying to arrange the video conference as early as possible, but we are not sure because we have to decide what specialists are required. It might be held during the day depending on the schedule of doctors of AIIMS," he said.
Once AIIMS finalises a panel of specialist, the video conferencing will be held, he added. Basu had been put on full ventilation last night.
Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda visited the veteran leader in the hospital this morning. He said "I wanted to talk to him. Doctors told me to be louder. Jyotibabu responded by raising his hands. It shows that his brain is functioning very well."
"Yesterday, I watched on TV what doctors said. Today I found him a little improved," he said.
Meanwhile, the private hospital, where Jyoti Basu is admitted, was on Friday accused of negligence in the treatment of former West Bengal transport minister who died of cancer five months ago.
Romola, widow of Subhas Chakraborty, who came to see Basu at the AMRI hospital in Kolkata told reporters, "They failed to realise the gravity of the situation. The medical board was constituted after three days when we insisted on it."
Her husband Subhas Chakraborty had died of cancer on August three last year at the hospital. "My complaints are against the doctors. But they will say that he was a cancer patient," she said.
"Had they realised the gravity of the situation, why did we have to insist on forming medical board?" she asked. She alleged that although her husband was admitted to the hospital on July 27 last year, a scan was not done immediately. "Pneumonia was detected after a scan on July 31."
Asked whether she had at the time wished to take her husband out of AMRI, she said, "I told them if you can't do anything, release him."
She, however, said she would not lodge any complaint nor go to Human Rights Commission. "What is the use now? I feel relieved to some extent after saying this."
Meanwhile, Superintendent of AMRI Hospital Debasish Sharma said if Subhas Chakraborty's family lodged a written complaint on the alleged negligence, it would be investigated by a committee headed by Prof Mani Chetri.
Asked about her party, the CPI-M, Chakrabarty said that she had no complaint against it. "The party has realised what it has lost in his death." PTI
