ISLAMABAD: The medical board of Polyclinic Hospital on Saturday examined Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif at the Minister’s Enclave and suggested that more specialists be included in the board.

The team has suggested including an oncologist, endocrinologist and a surgeon from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi.

According to the medical report issued on Saturday — and available with Dawn — the clinical status of 67-year-old Mr Sharif was stable and he was declared medically fit for detention by the National Acc­ountability Bureau (NAB). However, the team of doctors suggested that he should be kept at the Minister’s Enclave as some more tests would be done on Sunday (today).

Tests today to decide if he should be kept under observation or be sent to NAB jail

It is worth mentioning here that, contrary to the previous routine, Mr Sharif was not shifted to Lahore after the session of the National Assembly, which concluded on Friday. It was decided to keep him at a sub-jail — Minister’s Enclave — for medical examination.

The medical board, headed by Dr Asif Irfan, was constituted last month after a complaint by Mr Sharif in the NAB court that he was a cancer survivor but was deprived of medical treatment. Other members of the team are Dr Naveed, Dr Hamid and Dr Niaz.

A doctor of Polyclinic, requesting anonymity, said Mr Sharif had a chest infection when he arrived at Islamabad.

“He was examined twice during the last three days but during tests it was revealed that his health condition is deteriorating. We will conduct some more tests on Sunday and it has been suggested more health experts be included in the team as the patient may need continued sub-speciality care,” he said.

Polyclinic Executive Director Dr Shahid Hanif, while talking to Dawn, confirmed that the medical team examined the patient at the Minister’s Enclave on Saturday.

“It has been decided to hold Computed Tomography (CT) scan on Sunday. The CT scan may be held at a private hospital,” he said.

While replying to a question, Dr Hanif said that it would not be appropriate to share the medical problem of Mr Sharif but there were some issues due to which it had been suggested that more health experts be included.

“We don’t have an oncologist at Polyclinic. We have endocrinologists but they are just medical officers. So it has been suggested that more experts from Pims and MH Rawalpindi be roped in,” he said.

He said that after examining the patient on Sunday it would be decided that if he (Mr Sharif) should be kept under observation or be allowed to be sent to the NAB jail.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2018