Anxiety heightened yesterday over the health condition of the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, who is currently receiving medical attention at a German hospital.
As the rumour over the whereabouts and the health of Mrs. Jonathan began to spread like bush-fire in the hammattan, Aso Rock, the seat of government, yesterday, remained close-mouthed.
Mrs. Jonathan, according to findings, was flown out of the country, a few days ago, to a German hospital for treatment over what a Presidency source called “food poisoning.”She reportedly suffered “food poisoning” along with her medical doctor and had to be airlifted to Wiesbaden, Germany, for treatment.
Efforts to get clarifications on the First Lady’s health status at the hospital were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati; the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs to President Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and the Chief Press Secretary to Mrs. Jonathan, Ayo Adewuyi, did not pick their calls or respond to text messages asking for their confirmation on the issue.
As at the time of filing this report, there were speculations that the Presidency might react to the food poisoning story making the rounds but none came.A Presidency source told National Mirror that the wife of the President is “on vacation in Germany and at the same time undergoing medical checkup.”
Media Assistant to the First Lady, Mr. Ayo Osinlu, said on Sunday that Mrs. Jonathan’s foreign trip was just a vacation to take time off to rest and not for any medical treatment.
“If you look at her itinerary in August, you will be wondering how she was able to accomplish that.”
“In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said.
But when contacted yesterday, Osinlu refused to comment further on the matter, saying that reacting to the issue would amount to giving credence to a mischievous report.
The critical condition that reportedly landed Mrs. Patience Jonathan in the hospital in Germany started in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 12 days ago where she had gone to see a doctor because her hands were twitching.Although there was no official confirmation, the source gave the name of the German Hospital as Horst Schmidt Klinik, the same medical centre where late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua received treatment for the ailment which eventually claimed his life.
Horst Schmidt Klinik specializes in the following medical fields: General and Visceral Surgery; Gastroenterology; Ear, Nose and Throat Medicine, Head and Neck Surgery; Cardiology Neurosurgery; Thoracic Surgery; Trauma, Hand and Orthopaedic Surgery.The hospital has 21 specialist clinics, four institutes and 1027 beds. It offers its patients a very sophisticated and high quality range of treatments for the necessary care.
HSK prides itself as a world class hospital based in Wiesbaden, Germany.
On its website, the health institution stated: “Your health is your most valuable asset – that is why improving your health is the ultimate goal of all our therapeutic efforts. Our experts of all specialist areas and our highly qualified, dedicated patient care staff give their best to achieve this goal – day after day.
“We combine medical expertise in the field of high-performance medicine with the highest qualifications, an unwavering commitment to quality and extraordinary service. The health and best possible recovery of each individual patient are our foremost concern.“At HSK, we believe in giving you total care. Our symbiosis of world class medical and nursing performance, innovative therapeutic methods and a highly comfortable ambience ensure your personal treatment success.”