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JAKARTA: Indonesia's former president Suharto may be taken off a ventilator soon allowing him to breath on his own as his health slowly improves, his doctors said Friday.
"His lung and heart functions are improving and his blood pressure is stable ... (but) he remains critical and will remain in intensive care," Mardjo Soebiandono, the head of the team of doctors treating Suharto, told reporters.
Soebiandono said systemic infection "is still apparent but under control ... in general his condition is improving. (Suharto) can respond when talked to."
Doctors said Thursday Suharto would be able to leave hospital soon if his condition continued to show signs of improvement.
The 86-year-old strongman was admitted to hospital on January 4 with heart, lung and kidney problems. He was put on a ventilator two weeks ago, and doctors have been trying to wean him off it.
Another doctor on the team, Christian Yohannes, said Suharto "is still on the ventilator but only to supply additional oxygen, he is practically breathing on his own."
Suharto's condition has been fluctuating almost daily and doctors have warned repeatedly that despite occasionally upbeat reports he could still deteriorate suddenly because of his age and the extent of his ailments.
Suharto, who was among Asia's most notorious strongmen of the 20th century, stepped down in 1998 amid deadly riots and mass pro-democracy street protests sparked by the 1997 Asian economic crisis.
Opinion on Suharto remains divided in Indonesia, which also enjoyed dramatic economic growth under his rule. - AFP/ac
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