Former PM Nawaz’ treatment possible in Pakistan: medical board

Former PM Nawaz’ treatment possible in Pakistan: medical board

Lahore (Staff Report/Agencies): Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s treatment is possible in Pakistan, Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Baqar Najafi, heard the petition filed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for the release of former premier from the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on medical grounds.

The anti-corruption watchdog's prosecutor informed the court that the former premier's condition was treatable.

SIMS Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz told the court that the former premier's has been diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia, a disease which causes the breakdown of blood cells. The doctors have said that the disease is treatable.

The former prime minister’s condition was "extremely serious". He submitted a detailed medical report of the former premier.

He told the court that a medical board, which also includes Nawaz's personal physician, meets twice everyday to discuss the PML-N supremo's condition.

The former prime minister is under treatment at the Services Hospital in Lahore after his platelet count once again dropped to a precariously low level.

On Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif’s platelet count dropped from 29,000 to 7,000. He was once again injected with platelets’ units on doctors’ advice.

Nawaz’s condition is closely being monitored and in order to assist the medical board, one doctor from Karachi and another from Islamabad has been called.

Meanwhile, the medical board treating the former PM confirmed that the former PM has been diagnosed with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

According to medics, ITP is a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets which are necessary for normal blood clotting.