Former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya in ICU after breathing distress

KOLKATA: Former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was rushed to Woodlands Hospital on Saturday after his oxygen saturation level dropped sharply, leading to an acute breathing distress. Bhattacharya was put on C-pap support and later in the evening, his condition was stated to be stable.
A five-member medical team was formed to attend to Bhattacharya soon after he was admitted to ICU.According to hospital sources, the septuagenarian is responding to treatment. A bulletin released by the hospital on Saturday evening said Bhattacharya was admitted with lower respiratory tract infection and Type-II respiratory failure. "He has been put on non-invasive ventilation support, antibiotics and other supportive management. He is hemodynamically stable," said the bulletin.
The medical team comprises medicine consultant Kaushik Chakraborty, critical care experts Soutik Panda and Susmita Debnath, interventional cardiologist Saroj Mandal and pulmonologist Ankan Bandopadhyay.
A chronic COPD patient, 79 year-old Bhattacharya developed a severe breathing problem at his Palm Avenue residence after lunch on Saturday. He was also running a temperature. Doctors attending to him at his house for the last four days suggested immediate hospitalization after his saturation dropped below 70.
Police arranged for a green corridor for Bhattacharya's journey to the hospital. His wife Mira Bhattacharya accompanied the former CM to the hospital. His only child Suchetana also reached the hospital.
Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose reached the hospital a little later and inquired about the former CM's health. CPM leader Rabin Deb, who had been to the former CM's cabin, said Bhattacharya was responding to treatment.
The CPM leader has been admitted to hospital several times since 2019. He had tested positive for Covid in 2021. In December 2020, he had to be put on ventilation support following a bout of acute breathlessness.