Union minister Shripad Naik is conscious, recovering: GMCH Dean

Union minister Shripad Naik,admitted in a Goa hospital after he met with an accident, isconscious and recovering and has been taken off theventilator, a top health official said on Wednesday evening.

In a medical bulletin, Dr Shivanand Bandekar, Dean ofthe Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) where Naik hasbeen admitted, said a team of the All India Institute ofMedical Sciences was of the view that there was no need toshift him to Delhi.

In the morning, AIIMS doctors extubated Naik (removedthe tube inserted to assist him in breathing) and he was puton High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC), Bandekar said.

Naik's Blood Pressure, pulse, urinary and bloodparameters were normal, he was taking oral fluids andresponding to all oral commands, the Dean said.

The AIIMS team was continuously monitoring Naik'sprogress along with GMCH doctors, he said.

Earlier in the day, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawanthad said that Naik was recovering and there was no need toshift him to New Delhi for further treatment.

The AIIMS team led by Dr S Rajeshwari was ''happy withthe line of treatment'' , Sawant said.

Naik, the Union Minister of State for Defence andAYUSH, is conscious and speaking, he said.

''He spoke to me in the morning. We are giving him thebest treatment at the GMCH,'' Sawant said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited the GMCHon Tuesday, had said that if required, Naik will be shifted toNew Delhi for further treatment.

The AIIMS team arrived in Goa on Tuesday evening andvisited Naik at the government-run GMCH located in Porvorim.

Talking to reporters late Tuesday night at the GMCH,one of the members from the AIIMS team said, ''We are satisfiedwith his breathing, blood pressure and other healthparameters. We have seen him and given advice to take him offthe ventilator tomorrow (Wednesday).'' Naik received injuries, while his wife Vijaya and anaide died on Monday when their car met with accident nearAnkola in Uttar Kannada district while he was returning tohome state Goa from Dharmasthala in neighbouring Karnataka.

Dr Bandekar had said on Tuesday that when Naik wasbrought to the GMCH, he was critical and four major surgerieswere performed on him.

Bandekar had also said that Naik will continue to bein the hospital for another 10 to 15 days, and it will take atleast three to four months for him to recuperate completely.

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