Posted by By AZOMA CHIKWE on
Former Chief of Army Staff, General Victor Malu is on life support system at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
Former Chief of Army Staff, General Victor Malu is on life support system at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
The ex-Army chief went into a coma and was rushed to the hospital by security aides and family members on September 25.
Sources at the hospital told Daily Sun that Malu, reportedly suffering from diabetes, was admitted into the ICU of the teaching hospital and doctors battled to save his life.
According to the sources, the consultant in charge of the ex-Army chief's case diagnosed him of suffering from: 'Left thalamic intracellular harmorghic with intraventricular extension in a known diabetic type 2.'
As at press time, Gen. Malu has been revived and it was gathered that he might be flown abroad for further treatment if necessary.
'He is still on oxygen in the ICU, when he gets enough strength, he is expected to be flown abroad to see his personal doctor. Now he is awake, but if he will have to be flown abroad the consultant in charge of his case, Dr Okubanjo will decide,' a source said.
Daily Sun gathered that LUTH could effectively handle the ex-Army chief's case, as his ailment, diabetes type 2, is common at LUTH.
It was, however, feared that the ailment had degenerated to the extent that 'if he has a sore, it may take long to heal.'
Before being rushed to LUTH, Gen. Malu was said not to be a patient at the hospital. He could not be flown abroad immediately the crisis started, according to the sources, because he was too weak to travel.
Since Gen. Malu's admission into LUTH, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Akin Osibogun had paid regular visits to the ICU to see him.
Just days before Malu was rushed to LUTH, Prof. Osibogun had lamented that a big challenge the institution faced was that patients did not seek medical advice early enough.
'If patients seek medical advice early enough, it will make the work of doctors in the hospital easier,' he had said.
Daily Sun's sources rated patients' chances of survival at the hospital's intensive care unit at 50-50.
There is a strong feeling that Gen. Malu, a former commander of the West African peace outfit, ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia may pull through with the great interest shown in his case.
Meanwhile, family members, friends and colleagues had been paying visits to the hospital to wish the Army General quick recovery.
LUTH Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Babajide Grillo confirmed to Daily Sun that Malu was receiving treatment in the hospital, but declined further comments.
General Malu was between 1996 and 1998, the commander of the ECOMOG in Liberia.
He was the longest serving ECOMOG commander, and was at the centre of disarmament of factions fighting for the control of political authority in that country.