PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA'S MEDICAL CONDITION IN SAUDI

S E C R E T JEDDAH 000474 NOFORN SIPDIS EMBASSY ABUJA FOR AMBASSADOR/DCM; STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, NEA/ARP, NEA/FO, DRL, INR/AA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2029 TAGS: PGOV NI PINR PREL SA SUBJECT: PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA'S MEDICAL CONDITION IN SAUDI ARABIA REF: A. ABUJA 2152 ¶B. ABUJA 2252 ¶C. ABUJA 2225 AND PREVIOUS ¶D. QUINN-MCCULLOUGH EMAILS 12/1-12/11 Classified By: Consul General Martin R. Quinn for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (S/NF) Since receipt of reftel A, post has been discreetly monitoring condition of Nigerian President Yar'Adua at King Faisal Specialists Hospital in Jeddah through well-placed medical contacts and passing reports as received to Embassy Abuja and Department. ¶2. (S/NF) Most recent information received December 13 confirms earlier reports that since o/a December 3 Mr. Yar'Adua remains in the VIP Royal Suite, which has been converted into an Intensive Care Unit; his condition is considered by attending physicians to be "irreversible." The diagnosis is advanced metastatic lung cancer accompanied by liver and kidney failure. Mr. Yar'Adua is receiving dialysis to maintain kidney function; he has been intubated on a respirator and is unconscious. Without assisted respiration, our contact says the patient would probably die. QUINN