Islamabad: Incarcerated ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif has refused to shift to a hospital despite being advised by doctors.

The former premier insisted that medical treatment be provided to him in prison, Pakistan daily Dawn quoted an official of Adiala jail saying on condition of anonymity on Monday.

According to the official, the jail authorities would follow the government’s directives issued by the government in this regard.

On Monday, Sharif, who is a heart and diabetes patient, was examined by a medical board of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

“We were directed to do medical a check-up in the barracks of Mr Sharif. Blood urea was almost 50 per cent high and he was severely suffering from dehydration,” a member of the medical board told Dawn.

Sharif was facing health issues as he had undergone a bypass surgery besides having diabetes. The ex-premier had been taking around 15 medicines, related to heart, cholesterol, diabetes etc, “so we also suggested some adjustments in the medicines”. Some tests of Sharif were held and some other will be held on Tuesday and after that a decision will be made about shifting him to hospital,” he said.

“The patient was suffering from severe dehydration. We spent around 30 to 45 minutes during which blood pressure was checked, ECG was held, medical history of the patient was also observed. We decided to hold echocardiography — or echo in common parlance — on Tuesday to examine the heart,” he said.

The five-member medial board had been constituted through a notification earlier in the day. The board comprises Pims Joint Executive Director Dr Ejaz Qadeer, Professor of General Medicine Dr Shajee Ahmed Siddiqui, Cardiologist Dr Muhammad Naeem Malik, Nephrologist Dr Sohail Tanveer and Gastroenterologist Dr Mashood Ali.

The notification says the board would hold medical examination of National Accountability Bureau convict Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The medical board had examined Sharif in Adiala jail and there was no acute medical problem and the patient was well oriented in time and space, a statement issued by Pims, Executive Director Dr Raja Amjad said.

The statement says that Sharif has been advised to continue previous medications. Some blood tests and echocardiography will be done on Tuesday.

It claimed the patient needed fluids, re-hydration and comfortable environment. Follow-up of medication may be closely monitored by personal physician. The patient will be re-examined by the same medical board after the results of investigations.

Sharif had also undergone a medical check-up on Sunday by a team of the doctors comprising retired Maj Gen Dr Azhar Mehmood Kiani and Dr Hamid Sharif Khan.

The two-member team had recommended that Sharif be shifted to a hospital.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Kiani said that he had recommended the jail administration and the caretaker government to shift Sharif to hospital as his heart beat was not normal and the presence of urea in the blood may affect his kidney.

“He is also diabetic and there is a need to give treatment in hospital under the observation of the doctors,” he said.

He said when the former prime minister was brought to the jail, his condition was better as per the reports of the medical check-up.

“During this time, I also asked the jail administration and the caretaker government to make special arrangements as the humid and hot weather is not good for heart patients, especially those who have undergone bypass,” he said.

He said the condition of Mr Sharif was bad due to dehydration and excessive sweating and less sleep. He said after the bad health condition, the government installed an air conditioner in his barra. UNI