General Chiwenga in critical condition after ‘risky operation’

Fresh details have emerged on ailing Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s condition, who was airlifted to China from South Africa earlier this year. Chiwenga is reported to have undergone a dangerous operation at a top Beijing hospital over the weekend amid rumours that he could have been poisoned.

According to the Independent, this week Chiwenga underwent a life-saving yet risky operation to clear part of his oesophagus which was blocked, although he remains in a stable, but critical condition.

Chiwenga was flown to Beijing in a bad condition in July and was rushed to hospital on landing.

Chiwenga was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of a state-of-the-art hospital in a high-security area before being moved to a private ward, security sources said.

Speaking on the ailing vice president’s condition an official that spoke to the publication said that Chiwenga had fully recovered from the operation.

“He has improved a lot, but because he is still critical, the medical team had to delay the operation. The operation was done over the weekend and it was successful. He is now recovering from the procedure.

“He is still scheduled to go undergo more operations, but this will be done after he has fully recovered from the first operation. He is still in a serious condition, but the fact that he had an operation is an indication that he is improving. He was initially too weak and vulnerable for the procedure, so it’s encouraging that it was finally done,” a security official said.

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