The Hindu : Front Page : Sai Baba's condition critical

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Tuesday, Apr 05, 2011
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Sai Baba's condition critical

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The condition of Sri Sathya Sai Baba turned critical on Monday evening as some of his vital systems were not ‘adequately responding' to treatment.

A bulletin issued by A.N. Safaya, Director, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS) at Prasanthigram near Puttaparthi, said the 85-year-old Sai Baba continued to be on ventilator support for helping his respiration and suction of secretion from the lungs.

“He continues to be on CRRT [continuous renal replacement therapy] system to help the functioning of the kidneys. The vital systems are not adequately responding. The condition of the Baba is critical.”

The latest medical bulletin released at 10.30 p.m. stated that the condition of Baba's vital organs showed further deterioration.

A panel of doctors attending on him was doing its best to make the systems respond.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to the superspeciality hospital on March 28 following complaints of chest and lung congestion. He initially responded to treatment but his condition began deteriorating on April 1.

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Industries J. Geetha Reddy, a devotee of Sai Baba, has been camping at Puttaparthi from April 2. He was joined by Revenue Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy on Monday. The State government despatched a team of five doctors from Hyderabad to assist the SSSIHMS doctors, but all of them except a physician have returned.

P.V. Ramesh, Principal Secretary, Health, told The Hindu that Sai Baba was responding to stimuli and his condition, though critical, was not irretrievable. His vital organs were placed on support systems — the heart on a pacemaker, the lungs on a respirator and the kidneys on renal replacement therapy. “We have not given up hope yet,” said Dr. Ramesh.

Mr. Raghuveera Reddy, who returned here from Puttaparthi, said Sai Baba was responding by blinking his eyes when his name was called. Every thing depended on how he responded to the support systems.

Meanwhile, in Puttaparthi, hundreds of devotees thronged the hospital anxious to know about Sai Baba's condition. Police were deployed in good numbers as the devotees staged a protest alleging that hospital authorities were keeping them in the dark.

Corrections and Clarifications

The report, “Sai Baba's condition critical” (April 5, 2011), inadvertently referred to Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Industries J. Geetha Reddy as “he.”

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