Khaleda Zia set to be discharged from London Clinic soon

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may be discharged from the London Clinic after remaining under close observation by physicians for 17 days.

If she is released on Friday evening, she will be going to the home of her son Tarique Rahman, her personal physician AZM Zahid Hossain told bdnews24.com.

"If everything goes well and the medical reports are good, madam will be discharged from the hospital In Sha Allah. Yesterday, a doctor ordered some medical tests which she is undergoing today. If all is well, she may get discharged in the evening," he said.

However, even after her release, Khaleda will get medical treatment under the supervision of Prof John Patrick Kennedy and Prof Jennifer Cross, he said. "Madam's medical board will also look after her. The treatment will follow the guidelines in the UK."

On Jan 7, Khaleda flew to London on a special air ambulance sent by the emir of Qatar. She was then admitted to the London Clinic. She has been receiving treatment under a medical board headed by liver specialist Prof John Patrick Kennedy.

Former prime minister Khaleda, 79, has long suffered from multiple health issues, including liver cirrhosis, heart problems, arthritis, kidney complications, and diabetes.

When asked how the BNP chairperson was, Zahid said, "Overall, madam is doing much better now. But, as we’ve noted earlier, [the doctors] have yet to make a decision about her liver transplant."

 ‘‘Because… we must remember this, and I have said this before, that her age and liver disease are important factors to consider. She needed treatment when she was alone in jail. She was deprived of necessary medical treatment at that time. She was detained for a long time and if she was brought abroad earlier, there was a chance for her to recover quickly. Currently, the doctors believe that they could have opted for other courses of medical treatment if she was brought earlier."

Currently, the London Clinic medical board and specialist doctors from John Hopkins have reached a consensus to continue Khaleda's treatment with medicine to address different ailments, Zahid said.

"The next decisions will be taken after considering her physical condition during this course of medical treatment and the test reports. Some test samples have been sent to other places. Those will be considered too, before taking a decision," he said.

Zahid said that Khaleda, her family and Tarique Rahman have asked the people of Bangladesh for their blessings so that she recovers soon.