Soeharto is recovering: Hospital spokeswoman
JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto is in a stable condition but still needs a couple of days to recover after undergoing an appendectomy at Pertamina Hospital on Saturday, a hospital employee said on Sunday.
A spokeswoman for the hospital, Susilawati, said that a recovery period depended on a patient's physical condition and his/her response to the effects of surgery.
"But Pak Harto is getting better and I assume he will have completely recovered in two to three days," she told journalists.
Soeharto was rushed to the privately run hospital in South Jakarta on Saturday morning and underwent surgery for an hour. Later in the afternoon he was reportedly able to communicate with visitors.
On Sunday, several former top officials visited the 79 year old, who is staying in VVIP suite 603, including former Army chief of staff Gen. (ret) R. Hartono, son-in-law Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto and cousin magnate Sudwikatmono.
Sudwikatmono told journalists that the former ruler thanked him for visiting.
In line with a Supreme Court verdict earlier this month, state prosecutors are supervising the medical treatment of Soeharto, a defendant in a US$571 million graft case, until he is fit enough to stand trial. His medical costs are also being borne by the state.
A team of doctors from Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM), which was officially appointed to treat Soeharto, was previously scheduled to assess the medical record of Soeharto to decide whether the former ruler should be hospitalized for intensive treatment.
According to RSCM director Hermansyur Kartowisastro, the team is led by the hospital's vice director for medical services Ichramsjah A. Rachman who is aided by RSCM's head of neurology Yusuf Misbach.
"The two will be assisted by several specialists," he was quoted by Satunet.com as saying on the sidelines of a seminar here on Sunday.
Chief prosecutor Muchtar Arifin told The Jakarta Post that Soeharto's health condition would be observed by the team of doctors.
"The surgery will not affect the preliminary plan for Monday's observation. It is up to the RSCM doctors whether to examine Soeharto for themselves," he added. (bby)