A fresh medical report for former first lady Bushra Bibi has shown that her health is largely normal, though she has some light blockage in her left ventricle.
This was contained in the medical reports produced by the privately run Shifa International Hospital (SIH). The tests were conducted on the directives of the Accountability Court Judge Nasir Javed Rana under the supervision of Dr Muhammad Aasim Yusuf of Imran Khan's Shaukat Khanum Hospital and doctors from the Rawalpindi Central Jail— Dr Faria Munawar. A gastroenterologist from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) (Dr Amer Saleem) also attended the checkup.
The report, prepared by Dr Muslim Atiq at SIH, reiterated that symptoms, including a sour taste in the mouth, developed after consuming "unusual" tasting food while incarcerated some two months ago. It was followed by stomach pain. The sour taste in the mouth and stomach pain have persisted ever since.
The doctor noted that the patient now complained of vague discomfort in the upper abdomen and noted that the symptoms were "severe in nature" and were causing significant distress to the patient. Bushra Bibi, the doctor said, had developed an aversion to food, leading to a loss of five kilogrammes in weight, which has now been regained.
He added that the patient had reiterated concerns about consuming any "unusual" items in her meals, especially the one she had before developing symptoms.
Dr Atiq's initial prognosis suggested that the patient likely had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) - as a reaction to something she had consumed and some Gastinitis.
However, he noted that additional tests, including a blood test, an ultrasound of her abdomen, a gastroscopy or endoscopy, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) to review the condition of her heart, were needed.
The ECG showed that her heart was normal with no significant abnormality, but her left ventricle had some blockage, which had reduced its working efficiency to 55%.
The doctor also recommended a blood chemistry and magnesium test, as well as a urine toxicology test, but the patient declined these tests at SIH. Bushra Bibi also refused to undergo the blood test.
The test results and refusal from Bushra Bibi to undergo tests were similar to an earlier medical exam when the government had appointed a medical panel with female doctors from PIMS. That medical examination, too, had given Bushra Bibi a clean bill of health.