KOCHI: The health condition of UDF Convenor who is also the party candidate in the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency Benny Behanan is stable, the doctors said.
Benny Behanan was admitted to Sunrise Hospital, Kakkanad, early on Friday morning following chest pain. He has undergone an emergency angiogram followed by an angioplasty procedure. Though his condition is stable, the doctors have advised him not to take part in election campaigning for at least three weeks.
He will be put under observation for 48 hours. According to the senior cardiologist at Sunrise Hospital, Dr Balakrishnan, Behanan had suffered a severe heart attack. "When we were informed that he was suffering from severe chest pain, we conducted an angiogram, in which blockage was found in one artery. Ninety per cent of blockage was found in the artery restricting blood flow. Angioplasty procedure was carried out immediately to remove the blockage," said Dr Balakrishnan, in a press meet held at Sunrise Hospital.
Meanwhile, Dr Blessen Varghese opined that his health condition would have worsened if timely treatment had not been administered. "When a person suffers a heart attack, the first two hours are known as the golden hours, in which immediate treatment must be ensured. Since his condition was grave, the timely treatment within the golden hours saved his health condition from further worsening", said Dr Blessen.
Keeping in mind the prevailing heat conditions and strenuous election campaigns, doctors said that Behanan would not be able to take part in campaigning for at least two weeks. With the campaigning phase ending on April 21, this will be crucial for the UDF. "Normally in such a case, we advice complete rest for at least a month, but in this particular case, we have advised him to take rest for at least two weeks. He is not supposed to undergo any stress at this moment," said Dr Blessen.
The Chairman of the hospital, Dr Hafeez Rahman added that the time factor was very important and the outcome has significantly improved. "As of now for 48 hours he will be kept under observation in the ICU and will be later shifted," said Dr Hafeez.
Meanwhile, District Congress Committee President T J Vinod said that the UDF leadership would make necessary arrangements to conduct the poll campaign in his absence.
Innocent, Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate for the Chalakudy Lok Sabha Constituency, visited Benny Behanan at the hospital.