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17-01-2024
WASHINGTON: Pentagon said Monday that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital as he was facing prostate cancer complications, days after being secretly hospitalized.
The doctors of the former military general said he is expected to make a full recovery with no treatments planned so far.
The Pentagon in a statement said that he has “full access to required secure communications capabilities as he works remotely.”
Over a week earlier, President Joe Biden was kept in the dark by Pentagon for at least three days about the hospitalization of his Defence Secretary until he was informed by the national security advisor Jake Sullivan.
The US media reports indicated that Joe Biden did not know the whereabouts of Lloyd Austin as the Secretary was admitted to the hospital on January 1.
Not only Biden but the top officials in the White House were also shocked after learning about the Pentagon chief’s health condition.
The Pentagon issued an official statement about its boss on January 4, which sparked severe criticism from all over the country.
According to Austin’s doctors, he is on a path to a full recovery.
“Secretary Austin progressed well throughout his stay and his strength is rebounding,” said Dr John Maddox and Dr Gregory Chesnut from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, further adding that “his prostate cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is excellent.”
Pentagon spokesperson Patrick S. Ryder while explaining the delay said over a week earlier: “It was an evolving situation, in which we had to consider a number of factors, including medical and personal privacy issues.”
The position of defense secretary is crucial in the US government hierarchy as the designated person sits below the President in the military chain of command.
Earlier in December, the 70-year-old had another surgery regarding prostate cancer and later was hospitalized due to complications on New Year’s Eve.
However, President Biden held a “cordial conversation” with Secretary Austin and expressed “complete trust and confidence.”
In a statement issued Monday, Austin expressed gratitude for his medical team and said: “Now, as I continue to recuperate and perform my duties from home, I’m eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon.” (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
