LAHORE, July 26: The Punjab Institute of Cardiology doctors will conduct venography on the provincial health secretary’s convicted brother Dr Nadeem Afzal on Saturday to decide whether to discharge him from the clinic or keep him for a few more days after determining the condition of the clot in his right leg.

The test will determine whether the clot still persists or has been dissolved.

Dr Afzal was sentenced by the Supreme Court to one year rigorous imprisonment. However, he was shifted to the PIC on May 3 after his examination by two PIC consultants in the jail. The consultants had diagnosed that Dr Afzal was suffering from Deep Venus Thrombosis (DVT) caused by a bullet injury.

The Pakistan Medical Association leaders, however, allege that Dr Afzal was not being treated for any specialized disease but just for gastric ulcer (acidity) at the PIC.

The PMA leaders said Dr Afzal’s tests including ECG, X-Ray, echo-cardiography, angiography were normal except Gamma Glutamyl Transferaze test of the blood. He was taking only Motilium, Gravinate, Losec and Dormicum.

“If this is the only treatment then why is he being retained in the private airconditioned room of a specialized hospital?,” they asked.

When this reporter checked the patient’s chart, it was confirmed that the patient was taking drugs meant for gastric ulcer.

When contacted, PIC principal executive officer Prof Jawad Sajid Khan said Dr Afzal was being treated for DVT. Currently, he said, the anti-coagulation treatment was stopped because the blood was thinned more than required.

Prof Khan said the consultants had conducted Doppler on patient’s leg on Thursday but could not confirm whether the clot had dissolved or not. “Now we will conduct venography to decide whether the clot is persisting or has dissolved.”