Jaya battles for her life, Apollo hospital calls reports of death 'baseless, false'

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, is "very critical" and is on ECMO support, the Apollo Hospitals said in Chennai on Monday, denying reports that claimed the 68-year-old leader had breathed her last.

Violent protests had broken out outside the hospital following reports that the AIADMK leader was no more, but doctors issued a statement saying the leader was still on life support.

"Some TV channels are wrongly reporting that the Chief Minister is no more. This is totally baseless and false. They are advised to rectify this mistake based on this press release," the hospital said.

The press release issued by Apollo Hospitals

"Jayalalithaa remains in grave situation, despite best efforts," the hospital had earlier said barely hours after it had issued its latest bulletin at 12.45 pm. Jaya was under constant observation, with top doctors monitoring her health.

"The Chief Minister continues to be critical and is on extracorporeal membrane heart assist device (ECMO) device," Apollo Hospitals COO Subbaih Viswanathan said in the press release.

British expert, Dr Richard Beale, Consultant Intensivist at the Guys and Thomas Hospital in London, was being consulted over Skype and mobile phone on a regular basis and has concurred with the current line of treatment being given to the chief minister.

Read: Jaya's condition extremely grave, doing our best: British doctor Beale

“Situation extremely grave but can confirm everything possible being done to give her best chance of surviving,” said consulting doctor Richard Beale on Monday afternoon.

Dr Beale had examined the Jayalalithaa thrice in the past three months and is one of the senior members of the team attending on the AIADMK supremo.

The Centre dispatched a team of specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Science to Apollo Hospital. Four specialists from AIIMS will soon be reaching Apollo Hospital, Health Minister J P Nadda said.

"We are in constant touch with Apollo and Tamil Nadu Government. They had requested a team of doctors from AIIMS. We have sent a team of specialists from AIIMS Dr Khilani, Dr Trikha, Dr Narang and Dr Talwar. We hope that doctors from AIIMS and Apollo will be able to help in her recovery. We pray to God that she regains her health," Nadda said.

The team of AIIMS doctors include pulmonologist Dr GC Khilnani, anaesthetist Dr Anjan Trikha, cardiac surgeon Dr Sachin Talwar and cardiologist Dr Rajiv Narang. Eminent cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan will be heading the team.

Nadda said the doctors would decide the line of treatment and that he has no plans as of now to travel to Chennai. “We are constantly in touch with the hospital authorities and officials of the state government in Chennai. We have sent a team of doctors and are constantly monitoring the situation,” Nadda said.

Since the Chief Minister’s health is critical and rumours about her health doing the rounds, Apollo Hospitals is expected to issue health bulletins on a regular basis.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Jaya's health.

A large number of AIADMK cadres, including women, anxiously stayed put outside the hospital, which has been covered in a thick blanket of security. Worried party supporters continued to pray for her recovery.

Following the development, Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who is also the Governor of Maharashtra, air-dashed to the city from Mumbai and visited Apollo Hospitals last night. On Monday, the Governor said there was no ‘law and order’ situation in the state.

Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who arrived at the airport in Chennai on Monday morning, said all BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wished for a complete recovery of Jayalalithaa and they were praying for her.

Actor and party supporter, 'Gundu' Kalyanam, said the party workers had faith in the divine power and expressed confidence that Jayalalithaa would recover.

President Pranab Mukherjee, DMK leader M Karunanidhi, his son and opposition leader K Stalin, Union Ministers, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chief Ministers and a host of leaders have expressed concern over Jayalalithaa's health condition and wished her speedy recovery.