Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) is in urgent need of medical treatment as he has blood in his urine and is experiencing pain and nausea, the TPP said today.
He might be suffering from acute renal failure as he has been experiencing pain on the two sides of his lower back due to having kidney stones and vomiting, Ko’s wife Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), a retired pediatrician, told a news conference this afternoon.
This is what usually happens to patients suffering from kidney failure in the early stages, she said, adding that if it is not taken care of soon, the patient could enter the end stage quickly.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
“My conclusion is that my husband is not well,” she said, drawing from her expertise as a doctor, adding that it could cause irreversible harm if the current situation continues.
Ko could die in jail if it is aortic dissection, said Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine who was Ko’s teacher, as he expressed willingness in being the convener of Ko’s medical team.
Ko has been in pain for three weeks with the pain being experienced in different parts of his body, he said.
Ko would have to undergo an ultrasonic check to find out what is inside his abdomen, Hsieh said.
TPP Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) asked who would bear responsibility if Ko really dies of aortic dissection.
She called for the Taipei Detention Center to guarantee Ko’s human rights, saying that Ko is not even a prisoner.
The Taipei Detention Center said Ko is doing well and does not have any of the problems that he is being claimed to have.
Ko was sent to visit a doctor under supervision on Tuesday and returned to the Taipei Detention Center on the same day, people familiar with the matter said.
The Taipei Detention Center said it would closely monitor Ko’s condition and follow doctors’ advice to provide medical assistance to ensure his health and safety during his detention.
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