Union minister Shripad Naik recovering, no need to shift him to Delhi, says Chief Minister Pramod Sawant

Panaji: Union minister Shripad Naik, who is admitted in a Goa hospital after he met with an accident, is conscious and recovering, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said, adding that there is no need to shift him to New Delhi for further treatment. Sawant told reporters that a team from the Delhi-based AIIMS, led by Dr S Rajeshwari, in the morning reviewed the treatment being given to Naik at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). “The AIIMS team is happy with the line of treatment. Naik is recovering. There is no need to shift him to Delhi,” the chief minister said. He also said that Naik, the Union Minister of State for Defence and AYUSH, is conscious and speaking. “He spoke to me in the morning. We are giving him the best treatment at the GMCH,” Sawant said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who visited the GMCH on Tuesday, had said that if required, Naik will be shifted to New Delhi for further treatment. The team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has advised to take Naik off the ventilator on Wednesday, an official from the team said. Taking to reporters late Tuesday night, the official also said they are satisfied with Naik’s breathing, blood pressure and other health parameters. The AIIMS team arrived in Goa on Tuesday evening and visited Naik at the government-run GMCH located in Porvorim. They later held discussions with doctors of the GMCH over the line of treatment for Naik, a senior official from the Goa-based hospital said. Chief Minister Sawant was also present along with the team at the GMCH. Talking to reporters late Tuesday night at the GMCH, one of the members from the AIIMS team said, “We are satisfied with his breathing, blood pressure and other health parameters. We have seen him and given advice to take him off the ventilator tomorrow (Wednesday).” Naik received injuries, while his wife Vijaya and an aide died on Monday when their car met with the accident near Ankola in Uttar Kannada district, while he was returning to home state Goa from Dharmasthala in neighbouring Karnataka. Naik was admitted to the GMCH late Monday night. GMCH Dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar on Tuesday said when Naik was brought to the GMCH, he was critical but later he responded to treatment and is gaining consciousness. Four major surgeries were performed on him, he said. Bandekar said Naik will continue to be in the hospital for another 10 to 15 days after which it will take at least three to four months for him to recuperate completely.