Elita optimistic over FW
2006-06-09 15:39
Cape Town - Hospitalised former president FW de Klerk is doing "much better", his wife Elita said on Friday.
Reading a prepared statement at Cape Town's Panorama Medi-Clinic, she said it was with "great relief" that she could make this announcement.
"According to x-rays there has been a significant improvement in his lungs," she said. "He is still on a ventilator and is under sedation but the prognosis is good."
In a separate statement, the hospital said doctors were happy with De Klerk's progress over the past 24 hours.
"The patient is still on a ventilator but a process of weaning him off the ventilator is in place," spokesperson Melissa Rademan said.
De Klerk had a cancerous tumour removed from his upper colon on Saturday, and had a second operation on Thursday when he developed respiratory complications.
The hospital said on Friday he had been discharged from the intensive care unit and was being treated as a high-care patient in a private ward.
De Klerk's oldest son Jan was sitting next to Elita de Klerk at Friday's media briefing.
- SAPA