New Delhi:
Anna Hazare's 13 day fast has left the Indian medical community bewildered on how could he have survived on plain water and yet retained such gusto, even as his own body was literally surviving by eating on its own reserves. His body weight fell by 7.5 kilograms but not his energy. NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla spoke exclusively to Dr. Naresh Trehan
of Medanta Medicity and the physician who was monitoring Anna's health through these long 13 days and nights to get some answers.
Here is a full transcript of the interview.
NDTV: You were his treating physician how do you think Anna Hazare survived for the last thirteen days only on plain water?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: His own will, his own
shakti which he describes as
brahmachari shakti and he has a remarkable control over his body, he has made it.
NDTV: How does biology and medical science explain this survival?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: I am his physician. I can't discuss Anna
ji beyond the point of his health bulletin, it is not my job, it is patient privacy. I have to tell you look he maintains himself he had some power in him with which he used to regulate his own fluids and he has been able to maintain balance so medical science may not be able to fully understand it, but like he explained it is
brahmachari shakti and truly he has managed to live on his reserves and he has paid a price for it he has lost 7.5 kg. So his blood test and blood pressure and all that is okay. He was actually using the energy of his own body and survived on it.
NDTV: He was in a catabolic condition?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: Yes
NDTV: How long will you keep him in hospital?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: We don't know, we have started feeding him slowly with fluids and as long as it takes to come to normal state, he can stay as long as he wants, its his choice.
NDTV: A lot of people say that in the last few days he was taking some kinds of electrolytes with his water, you were his treating physician, do you have any clue that he was on electrolytes?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: I don't think that's true. People cannot accept things which they do not understand, I have no idea and I don't think so, in my opinion there is no indication that he was on electrolytes.
NDTV: You have treated 65,000 patients for cardiac surgery, has this this been the most difficult case?
Dr. Naresh Trehan: No, No. I had a team of 36 doctors, we had very little to do, but just to monitor him so that he would not get trouble that what the doctors were doing, it was not difficult for us, it was physically demanding for all of us, we had a team of 36 doctors working round the clock and fortunately he could get through [with reserves] on his own body and survived on it.