CM Jaya speaks using tracheostomy tube valve: Apollo chairman

November 25, 2016

Chennai, Nov 25: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is doing well and speaks using a valve attached to the tracheostomy tube as she continues to get treatment, Apollo Hospitals Chairman Dr Prathap C Reddy said here today.

Reddy said the Chief Minister, who is getting whole body physiotherapy, is undergoing a "normal recuperation" after being in bed for several weeks and it is she who would decide when to go home.

Asked whether she has any trouble in speaking, he told reporters "...she speaks from a few seconds to a few minutes... but she is not in a hurry."

Reddy said with tracheostomy, "normally they (patients) cannot speak. It also has a speaker attached. She uses that speaker (valve), but it is not easy for a person to speak with a speaker because they have to hold their breath."

Speaking on the sidelines of a programme on organ donation, he said that for some patients, tracheostomy (a tube and attached valve for communication) may be permanent. Only such patients are trained to use and speak using the speaker.

In Jayalalithaa's case, "it was only temporary and she need not go through it.. (need not have it permanently). We also do not spend time in training her to use that speaker", he said.

The chairman said that normally, the tracheostomy tube is left in the patient. "She (Jayalalithaa) is breathing on her own most of the time... 90 per cent... we just leave it as one will become more comfortable," he said.

On physiotherapy, he said the Chief Minister was getting whole body physiotherapy, both static as well as active. Physiotherapists were also encouraging her to do exercises.

Explaining what he termed was the 'set pattern', he said for each organ there is a specific way of doing physiotherapy, all of which was being followed.

The next thing to do is to see if the Chief Minister stands up and walks and then she would be ready to go home.

"If you ask me when that will happen, I told you she is a very strong Chief Minister, she has a very strong mind and she will tell you all. Not me."

The Chief Minister is "absolutely well today and it is she who would decide (to go home), not the health minister or health secretary... only when she realises, feels that everything is perfect," Reddy added.

On the recent shifting of the Chief Minister to a room from the Critical Care Unit, he said the intensive care team and all specialists, including cardiologists, nephrologists and a pulmonologist decided she could be managed in a normal room where she will feel much more happy.

Hence, she did not need the same care as she did in the first few weeks, he said.

"I am glad to say that at Apollo with a wonderful team of doctors they could give back all of the organs which had severe problems. It is all solved now and all that is happening is for her to return to back to normalcy," he said.

Reddy said "she is now having a normal recuperation after being in bed for several weeks, getting treated for illness."

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We wish her fast recovery.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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