Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi's health deteriorates, says CM Sarbananda Sonowal

The health condition of former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has deteriorated, CM Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday as he prayed for the recovery of the Congress leader.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, CM Sonowal said that he cancelled his programmes midway to be on the side of Gogoi and his family. 

He tweeted, "Flying back to Guwahati from Dibrugarh after cancelling my programmes midway to be on the side of respected Tarun Gogoi da & his family as the former CM's health deteriorates. He has always been a father figure to me. I join millions in praying for his recovery."

Flying back to Guwahati from Dibrugarh after cancelling my programmes midway to be on the side of respected Tarun Gogoi da & his family as the former CM's health deteriorates. He has always been a father figure to me. I join millions in praying for his recovery. @GauravGogoiAsm — Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) November 23, 2020

The octogenarian leader, undergoing treatment at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital for post-COVID complications, is being monitored by a team of nine doctors, GMCH Superintendent Abhijit Sarma said to news agency PTI. "The present status of Sir (Gogoi) is very very critical and the doctors are doing their best," he told PTI.

"The former CM's condition is extremely critical and worrisome. He is completely on life support and though doctors are trying, now God's blessings and peoples' prayers are required to improve his current condition," Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is at GMCH along with Gogoi's son Gaurav, told PTI.

Sarma told PTI that Gogoi's organs have failed with the brain receiving some signals, eyes are showing some reflexes and his heart is functioning as a pace-maker is fitted, but no other organs are functioning.

Gogoi, who was on dialysis on November 22 for six hours, is again flushed with toxins and he is not in a position to undergo the process again, the minister told PTI.

CM Sonowal said he has directed the health department to provide every possible treatment to him, and "I pray to God for his speedy recovery". The doctors attending on Gogoi is in constant touch with a team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), led by Randip Guleria.

Gogoi was put on ventilation after suffering a multi-organ failure. The 84-year-old three-time chief minister was admitted to GMCH on November 2. He was put under invasive ventilation on Saturday night when his condition worsened.

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On October 25, Gogoi, who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 and other post-recovery complications, was discharged from GMCH after two months. He had tested positive for COVID-19 on August 25 and admitted to the GMCH the next day.