Chennai doctors closely monitoring Deshmukh's condition

Chennai, Aug 7 (IANS) Doctors were closely monitoring the condition of union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh who has been admitted to the Global Hospital here with a liver ailment, hospital sources said Tuesday.

"Deshmukh is in the intensive care unit (ICU). He has been admitted for liver ailment. Doctors are attending to him in the ICU which is out of bounds for others," a Global Hospital official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

According to him, Deshmukh, 67, was rushed to the hospital Monday evening from Mumbai's Beach Candy hospital in an air ambulance.

"From the Chennai airport he was brought to our hospital in our ambulance," the official said.

Renowned liver specialist Mohammed Rela is attending to the former Maharashtra chief minister.

Hospital officials said a proper medical bulletin would be issued and many of the media reports are speculative in nature.

The union minister's family members are with him.

Deshmukh, who had been complaining of abdominal pains for a while, had been taken to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital last week for what was described as "a routine check-up".

For the last few months, Deshmukh has been taking light assignments to avoid strain on account of his health condition, a Congress official indicated.