NEW DELHI: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite fast for over three weeks, continues to remain stable but medically vulnerable, with doctors at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital on Sunday saying he was being given “oral sugar-free” electrolyte solution while remaining under roundthe-clock observation by a joint team of specialists from Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS.Medical superintendent Dr Charu Bamba said Wangchuk’s blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation were within the normal range and he remained fully conscious and alert. However, she said his blood parameters continued to show borderline abnormalities because of prolonged fasting and required continuous monitoring and treatment.“He continues to remain on fast. Therefore, he is very weak and there is a risk of deterioration and complications. Our combined team from AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital feels that he needs continuous monitoring and we must remain prepared for any medical intervention that may become necessary to maintain his health,” Dr Bamba said.She added that experts from both institutions were of the opinion that Wangchuk should continue to remain admitted as his blood parameters had not yet returned to normal. He is currently admitted under the department of medicine.In its latest health bulletin issued on Sunday evening, Safdarjung Hospital said Wangchuk’s vital parameters remained stable and his blood parameters had shown “minor improvement”, although they still required close monitoring. The hospital said the physiological stress and systemic effects of prolonged fasting necessitated continuous medical care under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team. It added that doctors from Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS believed sustained medical intervention and round-the-clock clinical monitoring were essential to promptly detect and manage any potential complications.The latest bulletin marked a slight improvement from the morning update, which had said Wangchuk’s blood parameters remained marginally altered despite stable vital signs.The medical update came amid afresh legal and political controversy after Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, questioned the hospital’s management about his treatment. She alleged discrepancies in the potassium levels communicated to the family and those reflected in an independent laboratory report, and accused authorities of preventing the family from shifting him to a private hospital. Angmo approached Delhi High Court seeking permission to shift him to a private hospital, but the court declined interim relief for the transfer.Doctors not associated with Wangchuk’s treatment said prolonged fasting beyond two weeks could rapidly become medically unpredictable. Dr M Wali, principal director, internal medicine, Pacific One Health, said prolonged fasting could lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, weight loss and low blood pressure.
