After days of silence over President Umaru Yar'Adua's state of health, the Presidency, yesterday, said Mr. Yar'Adua, who was admitted into the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, has been diagnosed of acute pericarditis (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).
Salihu Banye, the president's chief physician, who is currently with him in Saudi Arabia, said this in a statement following the rumours making the rounds in the country that the president was dead.
He added that more checks at the same hospital, where he had his last medical check-up in August, confirmed the initial diagnosis of the same condition.
In explaining the circumstances which led to the president's trip to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Banye said: "At about 3pm on Friday, November 20th, after he returned from the Abuja Central Mosque where he performed the Juma'at prayers, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua complained of left sided severe chest pain. Preliminary medical examinations suggested acute pericarditis, (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).
"It was then decided that he should undertake confirmatory checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he had his last medical check-up in August.
"The medical review and tests undertaken at the hospital have confirmed the initial diagnosis that the President is indeed suffering from acute pericarditis." According to him, the president is responding well to the treatment he is currently receiving.
"He is now receiving treatment for the ailment and is responding remarkably well," Mr. Banye said.
Understanding our president's illness Acute pericarditis is a disease which causes the inflammation of the membrane (the pericardium) surrounding the heart. This condition begins suddenly and is painful. In most cases, it results from an infection or conditions that irritate the pericardium.
The irritation of the pericardium can be caused by disease, drugs, invasive cardiothoracic procedures and chest trauma.
Its most common symptom is a sharp stabbing chest pain on the left side of the chest which grows worse when the person is lying down, coughing or taking deep breaths.
It is most common in men and research has shown that one out of five persons who suffer from this ailment has a recurrence within months of the original episode.
Governance goes on Olusegun Adeniyi, the President's spokesperson, said "The vice president is now acting on behalf of the president. He takes charge in the absence of the president." In this light, he will today receive Muslims at the Presidential Villa as part of activities marking the Id-el-Kabir.
While fielding questions from journalists, the spokesperson said Mr. Yar'Adua felt really bad that people rumoured him dead.
"He is a human being, naturally he will feel bad. This is not the first time, the President was aware of the rumour. He felt bad about it as any normal human being would," Mr. Adeniyi said.
No plans for the Hajj Mr. Adeniyi also refuted claims that the president was going to perform the Hajj.
Reuters, yesterday, quoted a spokesperson for the hospital where Mr. Yar'Adua is receiving treatment as saying, "The Nigerian president is in good condition. He underwent routine internal medical checks and had lunch today at the hospital.
"He may well leave tomorrow to perform a pilgrimage to Mecca." However, the president's spokesperson said, "It is definitely not true; even before the President travelled, he knew that he was not going to perform the Hajj. Even when I did the first draft for the statement, I stated that the President will do medicals and undergo Hajj, but he said no, I am not going to do Hajj. So there is no way he is going to do Hajj," he added.
The statement which Mr. Adeniyi had issued upon the president's departure was silent on the ailment he suffers.
Yesterday's disclosure by the president's physician was the first time an official statement was made on his ailment since rumours about his poor health became popular.
Saudi visa delayed president's trip On the day of his departure, the president was said to have left late in the night instead of at the planned time. The delay was attributed to the holiday in Saudi Arabia.
"Actually what happened was that the President was supposed to leave earlier in the day but because of the holidays in Saudi Arabia they couldn't procure his visa in time," Mr. Adeniyi said.
Once in Saudi Arabia, our president sought care at the 894-bed hospital which commenced the provision of medical services to Jeddah city and to the Western Region of the Kingdom in March 2000.
It is fully equipped with the most modern medical equipment and technology available.
It observes a full compliance with royal directives which is consistent with its healthcare leadership role in the community, and regards smoking as harmful to health. Smoking is prohibited throughout the hospital buildings and in all hospital vehicles and buses.
There are also reports that Isa Yuguda, the governor of Bauchi State who is also an in-law to the president, and his wife, Nefisah, have travelled to Saudi Arabia to join the president's wife and other members of the family.
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