Zambian president's blocked windpipe requires correction: official

South African doctors attending to Zambian President Edgar Lungu have said the Zambian president's blocked wind pipe requires correction if his recurrent low sugar condition was to end, his office said in a statement obtained on Thursday.

Lungu was flown to South Africa on Tuesday to undergo further medical examination following a recurrence of the narrowing of the windpipe which caused low sugar condition, with reports saying he collapsed while delivering remarks during the celebrations of the International Women's Day on Sunday.

His office has however denied reports that he collapsed but instead said he only felt dizzy.

According to the statement, the four South African doctors attending to the 58-year-old president at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg have agreed with the observation of Zambian doctors who attended to him that his low sugar condition was due to the recurrence of the narrowing of the windpipe which first emerged 30 years ago and was corrected.

"The four specialist doctors assisted by three Zambian doctors affirmed that the low blood sugar level condition the president suffered, was caused by the narrowing of his food pipe, (a condition medically known as Achalasia), which requires a specialized medical procedure after another round of further assessment," the statement said.

It added that the results obtained will be subjected to further examinations after which a decision would be taken on the method of treatment he will undergo.

Lungu, elected president during the January presidential election necessitated by the death of his predecessor Michael Sata, said he was ready to step aside if doctors recommend that his health condition requires enough rest.

Lungu is serving the remaining term of Sata's reign before general elections next year. Endi