VK Sasikala transfer to Manipal Hospital, a private hospital in Bengaluru has been cancelled just a day after her family made a request for the transfer. She was being treated at COVID-19 Trauma Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Victoria Hospital after she tested positive for coronavirus. The hospital authorities say that Sasikala’s family is satisfied with the treatment she is getting at Victoria while sources say that the hospital refused to grant the No Objection Certificate for her transfer.
Speaking to TNM, the Director of Victoria Hospital, Dr CR Jayanthi said that the family is happy with the way Sasikala is being treated at the hospital. “We have all the facilities to treat her in the hospital [Victoria Hospital] itself. Her family is content with the treatment she is receiving here and the facilities being provided by the hospital and thus her transfer was cancelled,” she added.
The latest update from the hospital shows her vital statistics, including blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation levels, to be normal. As per a hospital bulletin issued by Victoria Hospital on Friday morning, 66-year-old Sasikala is in the COVID-19 trauma Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Victoria Hospital and is being treated for COVID-19 severe pneumonia. The bulletin adds that she has diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism.
TNM has learnt that the hospital was reluctant to allow the transfer of the high-profile convict as it would require permission from the courts along with an explanation as to what medical facilities were not available for Sasikala at Victoria Hospital.
Sasikala has been lodged in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara jail, which is where she fell ill and was first taken to Bengaluru’s Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital. She had had a fever for two days and suffered from breathlessness, but had no fever when she was hospitalised, the doctors at Bowring hospital had said. Though Sasikala had contracted SARI, her COVID-19 tests had initially returned negative. The family then insisted on a CT scan of the chest which revealed the infection. She was later shifted to Victoria Hospital for further treatment.
Sources close to the 66-year-old had said that her condition is stable and she is being monitored closely. Two of her relatives, both doctors, Sivakumar and Venkatesh, were allowed to visit her. Her nephew and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran is also in Bengaluru to monitor his aunt's health.
Sasikala has been lodged at the Bengaluru jail since 2017, serving a four-year sentence following her conviction in the disproportionate assets case. Sasikala is slated to be released from prison on January 27.