MEDICAL CONSULTATION ISSUES STATEMENT ON NALETILIC'S HEALTH

ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The cardiology consultation of Zagreb's Rebro hospital on Wednesday said in a statement Mladen Naletilic Tuta had been on a hunger strike on October 17 because of the introduction of strict security measures, more strict than in the prison sanatorium. Naletilic refused food, medication, diagnostic procedures and cooperation with the doctors' consultation. He did not refuse beverage, though. Naletilic concluded his hunger strike next evening when security measures were restricted to a usual level and began taking food and medicines, as well as cooperating with the doctors' consultation, the statement, signed by the director of the clinic for cardiovascular diseases, Ivo Cikes, said. Due to the hunger strike, an operation scheduled for the middle of this week. Before the procedure, the patient must take medication for several days which decreases the chances of complications and helps the results of the operation, the statement said. Because of some articles in the press and doubts of the public, the doctors stressed they were led by exclusively medicinal principles during diagnostic procedures and medication of Naletilic. There were no pressures, and if there had been, we would have ignored them, the statement said. The doctors' consultation hails the idea of an international cardiology team of experts, stressing all diagnostic and therapy procedures with the patient had been well documented and are checkable. (hina) lml mm