Madan relaxes in AC comfort, doctors don’t specify ailment

KOLKATA: It was a homecoming of sorts for Trinamool minister Madan Mitra at SSKM Hospital, about a month after he was released from the hospital on November 26. Though he is a prisoner this time, the amenities at SSKM are no match for those available in the jails.
An air-conditioned room (room No. 20) was allotted to Mitra on the second floor of Woodburn Block of the hospital, which is designated for the VVIPs, a much better place than a tiny cell at the Alipore correctional home.
With the Alipore court granting a Division-I prisoner status to Mitra, the jail could at best offer him a separate cell, a television, a bed, newspapers and books of his choice. Match these with the air-conditioned room at SSKM with a huge bed for the minister, a smaller one for his attendant, an attached bathroom, provision for filtered water, a colour television and doctors attending him round the clock.
What is more significant is that the VVIP ward in SSKM has less stringent rules than jails for allowing visitors. Two constables are on duty at the entrance, but they are hardly checking the credentials of the visitors. Local Trinamool Congress leaders were in constant touch with Mitra on Saturday, though the biggies were missing.
Mitra’s shifting to Woodburn Block indicates that he is not a critical patient. SSKM rules mention that this block is meant for non-critical VVIP patients.
“The second and third floors of Woodburn Block are specified for VVIP and non-critical patients. Mitra is on the second floor,” an SSKM doctor said.
Mitra happens to be the chairman of the SSKM Rogi Kalyan Samity.
Significantly, another Trinamool politician — Rajya Sabha member and undertrial Srinjoy Bose — did not get a place in the Woodburn Block. He has been admitted to the cardiology ward of the hospital. It is believed that Mitra’s ministerial designation and his local clout have helped him secure a place in the VVIP ward.
The minister reportedly expressed his happiness at the arrangements at the hospital. He went to sleep after having dinner that came from his home and woke up at 12.30pm on Saturday. All through the night, the minister also enjoyed the oxygen support that he needs for his sleep apnea. Mitra spent most of the afternoon and evening sitting on an easy chair watching television. “Though none from the family came to see him today, an attendant carried food from his house. He had lunch,” said a source at the hospital.
SSKM doctors are yet to specify Mitra’s ailment. Cardiologist Sivananda Dutta thoroughly examined the minister on Saturday and performed an ECG on him. But nothing serious was found beyond ischemia, a disease found among most cardiology patients. Still, SSKM authorities are planning to set up a medical board on Monday to monitor Mitra’s health.
“We have done an ECG and ischemia has been detected. He has got sleep apnea and some more tests are needed to be done. We have decided to form a medical board on Monday and they will decide the future course of the minister’s treatment,” said SSKM director Pradip Mitra.