Yar’Adua has heart ailment – The Guardian
November 27, 2009 by tim
The Presidency yesterday confirmed that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who is undergoing medical treatment in a Saudi Arabian hospital, is suffering from acute pericarditis. This is an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart, which can restrict normal beating of the heart.
It is a known complication of Churg-Strauss Syndrome, which the the President is suffering from.
Amidst growing anxiety over President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s health, the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, who read to journalists the statement issued and sent from Saudi Arabia by the Chief Physician to the President, Dr. Salisu Banye, said that President Yar’Adua is “now receiving treatment for the ailment and is responding remarkably well.”
According to the statement authored by Dr. Banye and read to journalists at the Press Centre of State House Banquet Hall by Mr. Adeniyi, “at about 3.00 p.m. on Friday, November 20, after he returned from the Abuja Central Mosque where he performed the Juma’at prayers, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua complained of left-sided severe chest pain. Preliminary medical examinations suggested acute pericarditis, (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).”
“It was then decided that he should undertake confirmatory checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he had his last medical check-up in August. The medical review and tests undertaken at the hospital have confirmed the initial diagnosis that the President is indeed suffering from acute pericarditis.”
Banye, who is also a Fellow of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP), added that “he is now receiving treatment for the ailment and is responding remarkably well.”
But Adeniyi said that the President was sad at the rumours of his death. The presidential spokesman added: He (Yar’Adua) is a human being; naturally, he will feel bad. This is not the first time. The President was aware of the rumour. He felt bad about it as any normal human being would.”
Adeniyi also dismissed some reports that the President would perform the hajj, saying: “It is definitely not true; even before the President travelled, he knew that he was not going to perform the hajj. Even when I did the first draft for the statement, I stated that the President will do medicals and undergo hajj, but he said no, I am not going to do hajj. So, there is no way he is going to do hajj.”
Adeniyi, while responding to a question, explained why the President had to travel late in the night. He noted that attempts to procure the visas for the President and his delegation even by late evening failed, they had to obtain their visas at the point of entry.
