Nelson Mandela’s health had spiraled to the point where he needs medical assistance to breathe.
Mandela has been kept on a life-support system following deterioration of his health condition at a South African hospital where the 94-year-old leader was admitted three weeks ago with a recurring lung infection.
“Ailing former President Nelson Mandela is on life support in the Pretoria Heart Clinic where he has been fighting a recurrent lung infection since June 8,” South Africa’s The Citizen newspaper reported.
According to the paper, five highly-placed sources close to the family, including two who had recently visited him in hospital, said that the Nobel Prize-winning leader’s health has deteriorated to the point where he is breathing with the assistance of a life support ventilator.
The revelation came as a group of elders of the AbaThembu clan, to which critically ill Mandela belongs, will assess his condition during a visit to his hospital today to decide on a course of action, according to media reports.
Another source said Mandela is suffering from kidney failure and is undergoing renal dialysis for three hours every second day.
“He is critical, but has an entire team of doctors, from a cardiac specialist, pulmonary specialist, kidney specialist and a main consultant looking after him,” the source said, adding that the doctors have given the family the option to switch off the life support machines.
Stay tuned as this story develops.
