George Fernandes walks out of hospital in Bangalore before discharge

Former Defence Minister George Fernandes, who was admitted to a private hospital in Bangalore on Tuesday after he complained of breathlessness and chest pain, created a flutter in the political as well as medical circles by walking out of the hospital before his discharge.

George Fernandes, who is also the convener of National Democratic Alliance, was admitted to Wockhardt Hospital and Heart Institute following breathlessness after his morning exercise. Though the tests showed that the condition of Fernandes was stable, the doctors attending him preferred to keep him under observation in the hospital for 24 hours.

In keeping with the practice of issuing medical bulletin of VIPs patients, the hospital authorities released a statement saying that tests had been performed on Fernandes and his blood pressure and sugar level were normal. “Though his condition is stable, we have decided to keep him under observation for 24 hours”, Interventional Cardiologist Dr Ranganath Nayak said on Tuesday.

But, George Fernandes got up from his bed in the evening and walked out of the hospital, apparently against medical advice. He claimed that he had to keep his appointment with the Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi and call on JD (S) MLA Mahima Patel, the son of late Chief Minister J H Patel.

The Hospital authorities had to rush a battery of doctors and other paramedical staff to accompany Fernandes.

When he bumped into reporters on his way out of the hospital, Fernandes had a different story to tell. He claimed that he came to the hospital to call on former Chief Minister S R Bommai, who had incidentally been admitted for pulmonary oedema in the same hospital.

Outside the hospital, Fernandes told a different set of reporters that he had been to the hospital for a check-up. “But, I will go back to spend the night in the hospital”, he said. When his attention was drawn to the medical bulletin issued by the hospital, Fernandes wondered whether there was anything wrong in coming out of the hospital. “The Governor is a good friend of mine. Mahima Patel is the son of former Chief Minister J H Patel, who was like my twin brother”, Fernandes argued.

However, Mr Fernandes returned to the hospital on Tuesday night and was formally discharged on Wednesday.

Doctors at the hospital expressed surprise over the behaviour of Fernandes. “When he was told on Tuesday evening that his condition stable, he got up saying he had an appointment with the Governor. He just walked out of the hospital without giving us a chance to explain. However, we sent a resident doctor to accompany him as we did not know whether to say that he is being discharged against medical advice or if he would return”, a doctor said.