Prominent author Gamal el-Ghitani was taken to hospital after suffering a rise in blood pressure while recording an interview for popular talk show Egypt Today.
According to doctors, el-Ghitani’s sudden rise in blood pressure caused a pulmonary congestion, or water retention in the lungs. Doctors ordered the author to remain under observation in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
“His heart doctor came from Mansoura immediately, in light of the fact that Gamal has previously undergone open-heart surgery,” said the author’s brother, Ismail el-Ghitani.
In his talk show interview, el-Ghitani had expressed concern over the future of Egypt, but compared the country to a river that would continue to flow despite obstacles. He also called for the resolution of longstanding social issues, such as sectarian tension between Egypt’s Muslim and Christian communities.
He also expressed worry about Egypt’s water resources.
“Egypt has turned its back on Africa since the 1970s,” he said. “While President Nasser kept good relations with Ethiopia, Sadat stood against its socialist inclination,” he added, holding former irrigation ministers responsible for jeopardizing the Nile Basin agreement.
“I recommend diverting the Nile into the Western Desert instead of the Mediterranean Sea to make better use of the water,” he said.
El-Ghitani also criticized the government for not appreciating the achievements of its citizens. “We only give the Nile Award to those who have received awards abroad,” he said.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
