Sonam Wangchuk showing signs of dehydration, rising ketones, says Safdarjung Hospital
New Delhi, July 18 : Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday released a fresh medical bulletin on the health condition of activist Sonam Wangchuk at around 3.30 p.m., stating that he is showing signs of dehydration, compensated acidosis, low serum potassium, blood sugar of 78 mg/dl, and rising urinary ketones, while continuing to refuse intravenous fluids, oral rehydration and medication.
According to the hospital, Wangchuk was conscious at the time of admission and his vital parameters, including pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation, were stable.
However, medical examinations indicated dehydration, compensated acidosis, decreased serum potassium, and blood sugar of 78 mg/dl. The hospital further noted that urinary ketones, which were recorded at 1 at the time of admission, had risen to 3 later in the day.
In its medical bulletin, the hospital said, "At the time of admission, he was conscious with stable pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. Signs of dehydration were seen. Blood gas analysis revealed compensated acidosis with decreased serum potassium and blood sugar of 78 mg/dl. Repeat Serum Potassium was similar. Urinary ketones were 1 at the time of admission, which increased to 3 by 1:00 p.m.
"Although intravenous fluids were advised, the patient has refused all intravenous fluids, oral rehydration fluid or any other medication," the hospital said. "He is being continuously monitored and counselled for treatment in the best interest of his health," it added.
Meanwhile, Nitin Dighe, a member of the doctors' team at Jantar Mantar, claimed that the medical team monitoring Wangchuk before his hospitalisation had not been informed about the reason for his transfer to Safdarjung Hospital.
Speaking about the activist's health, Dighe said, "When we learned that Sonam Wangchuk had been shifted to the hospital, we were not informed of the reason. I have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days, and our medical team has also been examining him. However, none of our doctors has been allowed to meet him because an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs is present there. We were made to wait and were not permitted to meet our patient."
He further said, "His wife was allowed to meet him and informed us that his potassium level is low. However, when we conducted tests yesterday around 3 p.m., his potassium level was normal. We have not been provided with the medical report. The hospital doctor has prescribed potassium, and I am taking the medicine there. This medication could have been administered at Jantar Mantar itself, so there was no need to hospitalise him. He is otherwise healthy, and he will walk to Parliament himself the day after tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J. Angmo wrote a letter to the hospital in which she asked them to complete discharge formalities at the earliest so that he can be shifted to a medical centre of the family's choice, citing "lack of transparency" in his treatment.
Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for 21 days at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, was shifted to a hospital early on Saturday after his health deteriorated. The move was carried out in compliance with directions of the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts.
Police personnel reached the protest site in the morning and shifted Wangchuk to the hospital amid sloganeering and protests by CJP activists and the public gathered there.
The CJP, protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar since June 6, is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak case. The protestors were joined by innovator and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who, on June 28, officially began an indefinite hunger strike at the protest site.
According to the hospital, Wangchuk was conscious at the time of admission and his vital parameters, including pulse, blood pressure and oxygen saturation, were stable.
However, medical examinations indicated dehydration, compensated acidosis, decreased serum potassium, and blood sugar of 78 mg/dl. The hospital further noted that urinary ketones, which were recorded at 1 at the time of admission, had risen to 3 later in the day.
In its medical bulletin, the hospital said, "At the time of admission, he was conscious with stable pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. Signs of dehydration were seen. Blood gas analysis revealed compensated acidosis with decreased serum potassium and blood sugar of 78 mg/dl. Repeat Serum Potassium was similar. Urinary ketones were 1 at the time of admission, which increased to 3 by 1:00 p.m.
"Although intravenous fluids were advised, the patient has refused all intravenous fluids, oral rehydration fluid or any other medication," the hospital said. "He is being continuously monitored and counselled for treatment in the best interest of his health," it added.
Meanwhile, Nitin Dighe, a member of the doctors' team at Jantar Mantar, claimed that the medical team monitoring Wangchuk before his hospitalisation had not been informed about the reason for his transfer to Safdarjung Hospital.
Speaking about the activist's health, Dighe said, "When we learned that Sonam Wangchuk had been shifted to the hospital, we were not informed of the reason. I have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days, and our medical team has also been examining him. However, none of our doctors has been allowed to meet him because an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs is present there. We were made to wait and were not permitted to meet our patient."
He further said, "His wife was allowed to meet him and informed us that his potassium level is low. However, when we conducted tests yesterday around 3 p.m., his potassium level was normal. We have not been provided with the medical report. The hospital doctor has prescribed potassium, and I am taking the medicine there. This medication could have been administered at Jantar Mantar itself, so there was no need to hospitalise him. He is otherwise healthy, and he will walk to Parliament himself the day after tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali J. Angmo wrote a letter to the hospital in which she asked them to complete discharge formalities at the earliest so that he can be shifted to a medical centre of the family's choice, citing "lack of transparency" in his treatment.
Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for 21 days at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, was shifted to a hospital early on Saturday after his health deteriorated. The move was carried out in compliance with directions of the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts.
Police personnel reached the protest site in the morning and shifted Wangchuk to the hospital amid sloganeering and protests by CJP activists and the public gathered there.
The CJP, protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar since June 6, is demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak case. The protestors were joined by innovator and activist Sonam Wangchuk, who, on June 28, officially began an indefinite hunger strike at the protest site.
