Kolkata: The condition of Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu was a little better Sunday though he is still on partial ventilator support. The 95-year-old leader is responding to calls, doctors attending on him said.
In their Sunday morning medical bulletin, doctors at the AMRI hospital said Basu`s general condition was "slightly better compared to yesterday, but still critical" and he continues to be on partial ventilator support.
On Saturday, they had described his condition as deteriorating and said he had slipped into a state of drowsiness. He was admitted Jan 1 for pneumonia.
Doctors said Sunday Basu`s central nervous system is better than Saturday and he is "responding to calls".
His cardiovascular function is "more or less stable and his urine output has picked up under medication". There was no necessity of dialysis, it said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been concerned over the veteran Marxist leader`s health and had visited the city on Thursday to call on him. The doctors of AMRI hospital are in touch with a team of specialists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi over Basu`s treatment.
Visitors for Basu
Besides the steady stream of high-profile visitors at the private hospital where Jyoti Basu is admitted, many others also came to pay their respects to the 95-year-old CPI(M) patriarch.
A grateful 77-year-old Rashid Sheikh who had received his land from Basu in 1968 when he was deputy chief minister came from Salar in Murshidabad district to pray for his health.
Similarly, 65-year-old Lakshmirani Das arrived from Toofangunj in Cooch Behar to inquire about Basu.
The police outside AMRI hospital briefed her about Basu`s health and told her that she could not be allowed inside.
Some Pakthoons, the followers of Khan Abdul Ghafoor Khan, also visited the hospital.
IANS with PTI inputs
