news details |
|
|
| PM's Heart Surgery Ends Successfully | | Mukherjee handles protocol, Antony take charge of Customary duties | |
ET DESK
Jammu, Jan 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today underwent an 11-hour long complex heart bypass surgery at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences which "went off very well". "Everything has gone off well," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said after Singh's operation by a team of expert doctors flown in from Mumbai ended. "His condition remained stable during the surgery and utmost care was being taken to prevent any bleeding because of the stitching," Dr Sudhir Vaishnav, cardio-vascular thoracic surgeon with the Asian Heart Institute (AHI), Mumbai, said.
Meanwhile, as Prime Minister will take some time to recover, the senior-most Minister Pranab Mukherjee has charged with the Prime Minister’s protocol duties and the Defence Minister customary duties in the connection with the Republic Day functions.
The coronary artery bypass surgery included replacement of older grafts performed on the Prime Minister in 1990 in the UK, doctors said.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was wheeled into the operation theatre in the AIIMS at 5:30 am. The operation finally began at 7:15 am," Dr Vaishnav said.
"The entire country is rejoicing because our Prime Minister has come out successfully from the operation. We must thank the surgeons, the team of doctors and all those who have extended excellent help," Congress spokesperson Veerappa Moily said.
An 11-member team from the AHI led by Dr Ramakant Panda performed the beating-heart operation on 76-year-old Singh, who had been complaining of fatigue and signs of chest pain in recent days owing to blockages.
Heart bypass, which the Prime Minister had undergone 18 years ago in London, involves grafting of arteries of veins from elsewhere in the patient's body to the coronary arteries to bypass atherosclerotic narrowing and improve the blood supply to the coronary circulation supplying the heart muscle. Six years ago, Singh had also undergone an angioplasty.
The surgery, the first of its kind in AIIMS, was carried out at operation theatre number five.
The team included Dr Vijay D'Silva and Dr Narendra Garach of the AHI. Dr Sampat Kumar, a cardiac surgeon with AIIMS, was also involved in the complex operation.
As the Prime Minister went under the surgeon's scalpel, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the senior-most minister in the Union Cabinet after Singh, stood in for him and led the delegation-level talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"Our Prime Minister is indisposed, hence I am receiving you," Mukherjee, the seniormost minister in the Union Cabinet, told the Kazakh President while greeting him.
After Nazarbayev inspected the tri-services Guard of Honour, Mukherjee introduced to him cabinet ministers who had assembled there for the ceremonial welcome. These duties are actually carried out by the Prime Minister.
The External Affairs Minister will lead the delegation level talks with the Kazakh President, who is on his fourth visit here since Kazakhstan was separated from the erstwhile Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991.
The venue of the talks, which were originally scheduled between Singh and Nazarbayev, has also been shifted from Hyderabad House to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Defence Minister A K Antony will perform all the customary duties of the Prime Minister during Republic Day on Monday, the government said today, clearing confusion over the issue.
"The Defence Minister will lay a wreath at India Gate before the Republic Day parade begins and step in for the Prime Minister in all functions related to the Republic Day." Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said here.
In the absence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is indisposed, Antony will also receive President Pratibha Patil and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is the Chief Guest for this year's celebrations, at Rajpath.
He will also preside over the annual NCC rally on January 28. Traditionally, the Prime Minister presides over the parade.
Antony will also host the tea party for the cadres and tableau artists at Teen Murti Bhawan in the evening.
Since the Republic Day events are Defence Ministry functions, it is normal for the Defence Minister to perform the role in the absence of the Prime Minister, Kar explained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
