The health of toppled President Hosni Mubarak has deteriorated significantly at the Tora prison hospital and he might be transferred to a military hospital, state-run news agency MENA has quoted “official sources” as saying.
Mubarak, who was sentenced Saturday to 25 years in prison on charges of failing to stop the killing of protesters last year, is currently being held at the hospital’s intensive-care unit and reportedly has used a ventilator five times in the past hours.
The sources told MENA that Mubarak’s medical assistants recommended that he be transferred to a private or military hospital. His wife, Suzanne, had made a similar request, sources said.
The prison directors had summoned cardiologists and vascular specialists to test the ousted leader. The tests showed he has suffered from severe depression and high blood pressure since he was moved to Tora, and that he is having difficulty breathing and atrial fibrillation.
Mubarak’s health has worsened since he was visited by his wife and daughters-in-law on his second day in prison, which prompted the prison administration to transfer his younger son, Gamal — who is also detained on various charges — to stay with him.
News reports had said Mubarak got off the helicopter that transferred him to Tora prison after pleading with security agents. Reports said he thought he would be taken back to the luxurious, military-run International Medical Center, where he had spent his custody detention.
A pro-Mubarak campaign called “I am sorry, Mr. President” demanded on its Facebook page that the ruling military council transfer the former president to a military hospital.
Edited translation from MENA
