Jailed ex-Georgian leader’s doctor pessimistic about his health

Nikolo Kipshidze, the personal physician of the imprisoned former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, told reporters that his patient has anemia and his health may deteriorate in the coming days. Report informs, citing local media that Kipshidze noted that Saakashvili is strong and feels good.

"He was very nervous about the collapse of a house in Batumi. He continues his hunger strike and told me that he would not stop it," the doctor said.

According to him, he met and talked with the chief doctor of the prison, where Saakashvili is kept, and the medical examination of the politician, which, according to the specialist, should have been carried out, had already been done.

"The results of the medical checkup are not encouraging. He does not need medication yet, but he will need it next week. In two or three days, the tests will get worse and require different treatment. He has never been on a dry hunger strike, takes water. He does not eat, he drank juice - and he has no more money to buy. His health condition will worsen. In a few days, he will be in danger, because he has anemia," Kipshidze said.

Earlier on Friday, Saakashvili's lawyers reported that their client had lost 12 kilograms on the eighth day of the hunger strike. The head of the Georgian Penitentiary Service, Nika Tskhvariashvili, told reporters that the politician began to take honey and natural juices in his prison cell.