Zambian president Michael Sata will return to his country on Friday following a hush-hush visit to Gujarat for a medical procedure.
Sources said the president, who got himself admitted to Samved Hospital, was keen to avoid any media reports about his illness. Earlier, some newspapers had stated that the 75-year-old was suffering from problems involving his prostate or urinary bladder.
It should be noted that Dr Janak Desai and the team of doctors who carried out the laser procedure on him had refused to divulge any details regarding the same citing medical ethics. Meanwhile, sources close to the team of the president said that he was keen to avoid any news about his ill health as that would create political turmoil for him back home in Zambia.
Sources said the president was keen on not giving his opponents anything to write him off. So severe was the need to maintain secrecy that according to sources, his team had given a time slot to the chief minister to visit him but withdrew it at the last moment. A member of his team when contacted at the hotel refused even to divulge his name.
Media persons who requested an interview with him were told by his personal staff to come for an interview on Friday morning after 10 am at the hotel where he was put up. Incidentally, the president and his team are to check out early morning on Friday.
