Jayalalithaa on constant watch, says hospital

Jayalalithaa (68) was admitted to the hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration

With Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa continuing to receive treatment, a stream of high-profile visitors, including Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Monday visited the Apollo Hospital in Chennai and enquired about her health.

The hospital, where the AIADMK general secretary was admitted on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration, said she was "constantly being monitored". AIADMK is a party; its full form is All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

"G Khilnani, department of medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), visited Apollo Hospital again on Sunday and Monday and examined the chief minister," the hospital's chief operating officer, Subbiah Viswanathan, said in a release. Khilnani, part of a three-member AIIMS panel which had examined Jayalalithaa last week, had discussions with the hospital's expert panel and "concurred with the present line of treatment" being given to the chief minister, the release said.

Jayalalithaa continues to be under treatment and "is being constantly monitored by the intensivists and other consultants on the expert panel," it added.

Necessary respiratory support, antibiotics, nutrition, supportive therapy, and passive physiotherapy were being given to her, the release said.

Earlier, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who visited the hospital on Sunday, described Jayalalithaa as a "fighter" and said she would continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu.

"I am confident that she has a strong willpower and she is always a fighter. I am confident that she will fight back, become normal and continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu and that is my wish," he told reporters after making a "courtesy call" on Governor Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan.

Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi also visited the hospital and quoted the doctors as saying that Jayalalithaa "was recovering".

Vijayan, accompanied by Sathasivam, visited the hospital and held discussions with hospital CMD Prathap Reddy.

"We met Dr Prathap Reddy and the other doctors providing treatment to the chief minister. The specialists informed us that she was responding well to the treatment," Sathasivam told reporters.

"Within a short period, she is likely to be discharged and it is possible for her to take charge of the administration.

We also pray for her speedy recovery," he said.

Vijayan said the two had come to "convey the collective good wishes of the people of Kerala".