RUSSIA: THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER THE HEALTH OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN

Record ID: 649361

  • Title: RUSSIA: THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER THE HEALTH OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN
  • Date: 22nd September 1996
  • Summary: ROSTOV-ON-DON (FILE - MAY 1996) (RTV) SLV YELTSIN DANCING 2.00
  • Embargoed: 7th October 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW AND VARIOUS, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVABJVAI73IXJQS7QWIEB4MF5G41
  • Story Text: The controversy continues over the health of Russian President Boris Yeltsin with the communist speaker of the Russian Parliament calling for his retirement, and his doctor saying the operation could be delayed for one or two months.
    Michael DeBakey, the United States (U.S.) chief cardiologist and bypass pioneer, who will take part in the medical council on President Yeltsin's heart operation on Wednesday, arrived in Moscow on Monday (September 23).
    "I'm always very optimistic," DeBakey, 88, said when asked how he regards the forthcoming operation.
    On Sunday DeBakey had expressed reservations when he said he believed that the Chazov Cardiological Centre, chosen for the operation, was a "first class" hospital, but that he was not sure it had the "in depth enterprise" for potential complications.
    In 1964, DeBakey performed the first successful coronary bypass. He also was one of the first U.S. surgeons to perform heart transplants.
    The communist speaker of Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament said on Monday that Yeltsin should consider retiring if doctors rule he is unfit for heart surgery and ask him to cut down on his activity.
    "If doctors recommend relieving such a big burden from his shoulder - given that he is gravely ill man - and if they offer very long treatment then he (Yeltsin) will leave his post of his own accord," Gennady Seleznyov told Reuters Television.
    "If this happens then according to the constitution his duty will be resumed by the Prime Minister until presidential elections are held.
    The Russian surgeon chosen to carry out heart surgery on Yeltsin says the operation could be delayed by two months because of the patient's condition.
    Renat Akchurin told NTV commercial television on Sunday (September 22) that a group of Russian and foreign doctors was due to decide on Wednesday or Thursday when to hold a bypass surgery to improve blood supply to Yeltsin's heart and whether the operation was was generally safe for the patient.
    "We will see how the patient is prepared for the operation," said Akchurin, who will head the team of 12 surgeons if the operation takes place.
    "Any risk should be justified. If the risk is justified go and do the operation. If it is not, don't do silly things." Asked by Yevgeny Kiselyov, an anchorman of NTV's weekly show Itogi, when the operation would take place, Akchurin, answered: "Within one-and-a-half or two months." Meanwhile the man who would take over if Yeltsin conceded his presidential powers, Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, met the head of the Chinese consultative committee, Li Zhui Khuanem, on Monday for brief talks on relations and cooperation between the two countries.
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