Mumbai hospital rejects rumors, says Parrikar responding well to treatment

Mumbai [India], Feb 18 (ANI): Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital, where Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is being treated for pancreatitis, on Sunday denied reports that the former Defence Minister is suffering from Cancer.

"It is been brought to our notice that various malicious/misleading reports/rumors are floating around in the Electronic/Print media with regards to the health of Parrikar. We categorically deny all such reports," a hospital statement said.

Reports doing rounds on social media said the Goa Chief Minister has been diagnosed and is being treated for Cancer.

Updating Parrikar's health, hospital Vice President Ajay Kumar Pande said: "The Chief Minister is being treated and is responding well to the treatment."

Earlier in the day, Goa Assembly Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo told ANI the Chief Minister might skip the state budget session as he continued treatment in Mumbai.

The Chief Minister on February 14 complained of stomach ache and visited the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for a health check-up. He was later taken to the Mumbai hospital for further examination.

Lobo said the state budget would be presented by the senior most member of the state government if Parrikar could not attend the assembly session.

South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar also said: "The Chief Minister's treatment is in the right direction and he is responding to the same. However, he needs sufficient time to recover and be focused on the treatment. Expert doctors are taking good care of him. We all pray for his speedy recovery."(ANI)