Soeharto hospitalized for low hemoglobin

Soeharto hospitalized for low hemoglobin

INDONESIA: Former president Soeharto has been admitted to hospital, suffering from a low hemoglobin count, a hospital official said Saturday.

"He was admitted yesterday (Friday) afternoon," said a member of staff at the information department of the Pertamina hospital who identified herself only as Tati.

She declined to give further details but Joko Raharjo, a doctor from the medical team treating the former president, said that Soeharto was suffering from a low hemoglobin count.

Joko said Soeharto, 84, had "a reoccurrence of intestinal bleeding which has caused a lowering of the hemoglobin content of the blood" but that his condition had begun to show improvement.

Soeharto, who ruled the country with an iron fist until 1998, was admitted to the hospital a day after receiving hundreds of well-wishers, mostly former top government officials, at his home in central Jakarta. Visitors said that former president, who received the guests sitting, appeared healthy but did not talk.

Soeharto was hospitalized at the same hospital in May after registering a low red blood cell count. He has been hospitalized for intestinal bleeding and heart problems in the past. -- AFP