Nigerians express concern as Tinubu returns to Nigeria with a tube suspected to be PICC Line attached to his right arm.
Nigeria's 'President-elect' Bola Tinubu, returned from France with a thin tube suspected to be a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line) on his right arm, confirming he was undergoing medical treatment abroad.
Pictures of Tinubu with the 'medical device' have since gone viral on social media platforms starting reactions from all corners.
This confirms the stories made around that Tinubu was expected to return to the country on Monday, more than a month after leaving for France to seek medical treatment.
Contrary to that, his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga insisted the ‘President-elect’ was on vacation in France, but many media houses had exclusively reported that Tinubu fell ill after the March 18 governorship and State Assembly elections and was flown to France for medical treatment.
Nevertheless, despite the denials, some media houses earlier reported that Tinubu’s ailment was so severe that for five days while being hospitalised, he could not speak and had to be intubated.
PICC is a procedure where a healthcare provider inserts a tube through a patient’s mouth or nose, then down into their trachea (airway/windpipe). The tube keeps the trachea open so that air can get through. The tube can connect to a machine that delivers air or oxygen.
Cleveland Clinic has said common conditions that lead to intubation include airway obstruction (something caught in the airway, blocking the flow of air); cardiac arrest (sudden loss of heart function); injury or trauma to your neck, abdomen or chest that affects the airway; loss of consciousness or a low level of consciousness, which can make a person lose control of the airway.
Others include the need for surgery that will make you unable to breathe on your own; respiratory (breathing) failure or apnea (a temporary stop in breathing) and risk for aspiration (breathing in an object or substance such as food, vomit, or blood).
However, while addressing journalists shortly after his return, it was noticed that Tinubu had a suspected PICC line attached to his upper arm.
Some medical experts said PICC is used to deliver medications and other treatments directly to the large central veins near your heart.