• Suffers from extensive pneumonia of left lung
• Is on advanced life support at Om Hospital

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress General Secretary Dr Shashanka Koirala is undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Chabahil-based Om Hospital in a critical state. Primary diagnosis showed the 58-year-old suffers from pneumonia and is currently on the mechanical ventilator and advanced life support. Koirala was rushed to the hospital after he suffered from vomiting, abdominal discomfort and problems while breathing on Tuesday night.

Update 'Critically ill with stable vital signs'

Issuing a statement, the Om Hospital said Koirala's condition at present is 'critically ill with stable vital signs under advanced life support'. He is on ventilator support, intropic/vasopressor support, broad spectrum antibiotics and therapeutic hypothermia. 'His heart rate is 130 beats per min, oxygen saturation 96%, urine output 50 ml/hr,' the statement reads. Likewise, his ECG is normal and the bedside echo showed normal chamber dimension with satisfactory function, the statement said. The chest X-ray, on the other hand, showed extensive pneumonia of left lung. According to the hospital, Koirala was admitted with abdominal discomfort and cough with shortness of breath. His blood pressure was 110/70 and oxygen saturation (SPO2) 98% at the time of admission. 'At 5:30 AM, he was found to be restless with low blood pressure 60/40 mm Hg,  SPO2 69% and with vomiting,' the hospital said. Koirala was then intubated and CPR was performed before mechanical ventilator was started. He is being managed by a team of senior medical consultants, according to the hospital. He is currently unconscious. 'He's improving but still critical,' a family source said. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Nepali Congress senior leaders, including party's President Sher Bahadur Deuba, visited the hospital to acquire information about Koirala's condition this morning. It has been learned that a team of 15 doctors is involved in the treatment of the medical doctor-turned political leader. Koirala's friend and veteran cardiologist Dr Bhagwan Koirala has also been consulted. Referring to family sources, the Rastriya Samachar Samiti reported that Koirala had thrown up after eating pizza on Tuesday night. He was rushed to the hospital after repeated vomiting. Koirala is one of the three sons of late BP Koirala, who was Nepal's first democratically elected Prime Minister. He was elected to the post of Nepali Congress General Secretary in March from the party's general convention.