MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine President to undergo surgical medical tests

President Fernández has been advised to rest after the studies

Argentine President Alberto Fernández is to undergo an endoscopy for the bout of erosive gastritis he suffered while at the G20 Summit in Indonesia, the Presidential Medical Unit (UMP) reported Friday.

After the digestive bleeding that complicated his tour, Fernández will undergo these tests Saturday morning. “The President of the Nation, Dr. Alberto Ángel FERNANDEZ, will undergo the corresponding endoscopic controls on Saturday, November 19 of this year, after having suffered from digestive bleeding due to erosive gastritis. The public opinion will be kept informed of the medical evolution of the President's health,” the UMP said in a statement.

Fernández is observing a “light diet” and will have to rest during the weekend after the studies at the Otamendi Sanatorium.

Alarms were triggered in Bali when Fernández felt pains “as if his stomach was being scratched.” Gastritis was later confirmed.

After arriving in Bali, the President suffered an episode of hypotension and dizziness, so it was “decided to carry out diagnostic studies in order to preserve his health and avoid complications,” Doctor Federico Saavedra of the UMP said.

Fernández was taken to the Sanglah General Hospital in Bali, accompanied by Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin. He underwent some tests and was given serum.

As for his medical history, the President suffers from heartburn in addition to a lung condition since 2019 that makes him take anticoagulants daily, which worsened his gastric situation.

Fernandez was asked by his physicians to reduce his stress levels and rest more while changing his diet.

An endoscopy for stomach pain is not new to Argentine politics. In January of 2018, TV host Débora Pérez Volpin who had just resigned from her TN show to turn to politics and had just been elected a lawmaker for the City of Buenos Aires, died aged 50 due to heart complications during such a procedure, which is performed under anesthetics at an operating room.