Hepatitis treatment of Raju yet to begin

The Hepatitis-C treatment of former chairman of Satyam Computers B Ramalinga Raju, who is in judicial custody is yet to start, as he is still suffering from high fever.

"We could not start the hepatic treatment for Raju, as he is still down with fever, which needs to come down before we begin the treatment," Dr Ajit Kumar, head of Gastroenterology department, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), told PTI today.

Dr Ajit Kumar, who appeared before a local court, had recommended immediate in-patient treatment to Raju at least initially for six to eight weeks, with constant health monitoring, which he said was not possible on out-patient basis.

The court on Saturday last, based on plea filed by Raju’s wife, Nandini, had allowed him to undergo in-patient treatment at NIMS. However, he was readmitted to the hospital on Friday night itself following high fever.

Raju, the prime accused in the multi-crore accounting scam in Satyam Computers, after a stay of nearly three months at NIMS for treatment of cardiac problem, was sent back to Chanchalguda prison on November 26.

"Raju’s high fever is not related to his hepatic ailment and we are hopeful of beginning the hepatic treatment in next couple of days," Ajit Kumar said.

"The risk is very high during the period of first two months treatment, as Raju is also suffering from cardiac problems, though the condition of his heart is now stable," the gastroenterologist said referring to the sensitivity of the treatment.

It may be recalled that Dr Ajit Kumar in a report said that Raju might go in to hepatic failure and develop other complications like hepatic Coma or even liver cancer, which would make the disease incurable and advised to start the treatment at the earliest.