Former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee hospitalised with respiratory distress

Bhattacharjee has been put on non-invasive ventilation, antibiotics, and other supportive management

Former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee being brought to a city hospital on July 29, 2023. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was on Saturday admitted to a city hospital after acute respiratory distress.

Mr. Bhattacharjee was brought to the health facility in an ambulance from his Palm Avenue residence after oxygen level plummeted and he became unconscious.

“Mr. Bhattacharjee has been put on non-invasive ventilation, antibiotics, and other supportive management. Necessary investigations have been done and reports are awaited. He is haemodynamically stable,” a press statement by Woodlands Hospital said. A multidisciplinary team of eight doctors is closely monitoring his progress, the statement added.

The 79-year-old veteran communist leader who was the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011 was admitted to the critical care unit of the private hospital. The wife of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Meera Bhattacharya and daughter Suchetana Bhattacharya were present at the hospital.

Mr. Bhattacharya has been suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and has been away from public life for some time. Governor C. V. Ananda Bose was among those who called on the hospital to inquire about Mr. Bhattacharjee. The Governor said that the former Chief Minister was in the hands of competent doctors and expressed hope for his speedy recovery.

“Not to be worried. For all those who are enquiring and expressing their concern over the health condition of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya,” CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim said, tweeting the press statement of the hospital. 

In September 2019, the former Chief Minister was admitted to the hospital with breathing problems.