Bangladesh’s ex-PM Khaleda Zia placed on ventilator support: Doctors

Dhaka: Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia's health condition deteriorated on Thursday night and she was placed on ventilator support, doctors said.

"Her breathing difficulties increased, her oxygen level fell, and carbon dioxide levels rose,” according to a statement by the chief of the medical board cardiologist Shahabuddin Talukdar.

It said the 80-year-old former premier was previously being treated with “High Flow Nasal Cannula and BiPAP support, but as there was no improvement, she was placed on elective ventilator support to give rest to her lungs and other vital organs." The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson has been undergoing treatment at Dhaka's Evercare Hospital since November 23 for multiple health complications.

The statement said the three-time premier was kept under round-the-clock medical watch by a team of local and foreign specialists, as several of her vital organs continue to be under severe stress.

“Her kidney function has stopped completely, and she is undergoing regular dialysis," the board said, adding she currently needed blood transfusions. The board detected problems in her “aortic valve” as well.

"As her fever persisted and echocardiography showed issues in the aortic valve, a Transoesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) was performed. It confirmed infective endocarditis, a serious infection of the heart valve. Treatment for this has been started according to international guidelines," the statement read.

It said that on November 27, the doctors detected her “acute pancreatitis” while Zia was being administered high-quality anti-biotic and anti-fungal drugs for “severe infections”.

Her personal physician and BNP standing committee member AZM Zahid Hossain has briefed the media on her health several times, but this is the first time the medical board has issued a statement detailing her condition.

In its statement, the board urged people not to circulate speculation or misinformation about Zia's condition and to respect her privacy and dignity.

"Our medical team is working with the highest level of care, attention and sincerity." Zia was hospitalised on November 23 after she developed a chest infection that affected both her heart and lungs, and four days later, she was shifted to the coronary care unit (CCU) after several of her health complications worsened.

She was scheduled to be flown to London last week with the medical board’s consent but her scheduled departure was delayed as an air ambulance offered by Qatar could not reach Dhaka.

The doctors later decided the former premier should receive continued treatment at the Evercare Hospital until she was deemed fit for the flight.