Grace not in coma — Charamba

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First Lady Grace Mugabe’s whereabouts after undergoing an appendectomy (appenditis operation) several weeks ago, have once again sent tongues wagging

First Lady Grace Mugabe’s whereabouts after undergoing an appendectomy (appenditis operation) several weeks ago, have once again sent tongues wagging amid speculation about her true state of health. BY OUR STAFF

News websites and other social media platforms were yesterday awash with reports alleging that she was seriously ill in the Far East.

But Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba dismissed the reports, insisting the First Lady was not in the intensive care as being speculated.

The Telescope News claimed that Grace was now battling for life in the intensive care unit (ICU) after the appendectomy which was administered on her last month in Singapore did not go well. The story was quickly carried by many other websites throughout the world.

“First Lady Grace Mugabe’s appendectomy operation in Singapore last month did not go well, resulting in her alleged admittance into intensive care, as doctors are now reportedly battling to save her life,” The Telescope News wrote.

“It was not apparent last night whether the First Lady was out of danger, amid claims by a media contact in the Asian country on Wednesday that Grace could also be suffering from septicemia, as her real medical problems remain a mystery.”

But, Charamba told The Standard that the reports were false. “There is nothing like that. It is those reports that are in a coma,” said the Presidential spokesperson.

When President Robert Mugabe returned from holiday without the First Lady on January 22, he told supporters at the Harare International Airport that she was recovering from an appenditis operation.

Medical experts who spoke to The Standard said an appendectomy operation was very simple and easy to heal. They said by now Grace should have been feeling better and recovered if indeed she had undergone an appenditis operation.

Full recovery of a patient after an appendectomy is said to take about four to six weeks, and doctors usually recommend limited physical activity for the patient to allow the body to heal.

Brian Krans, an online medical writer (Healthline) described appendectomy as “the surgical removal of the appendix, typically performed to cure appendicitis. It is one of the most common emergency surgical procedures.”

He said an appendicitis infection occurred when the opening of the appendix became clogged, causing the appendix to become swollen and intensely painful.

Treatment is said to involve removal of the appendix, because it could burst if not treated immediately and effectively.

But, reports on social media further alleged that Grace was not on the recovery process, but instead was bed-ridden and could be suffering from a serious condition.