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Lithuanian health minister passes away aged 34

Xinhua, October 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lithuania's health minister and social democrat MP Juras Pozela died on Saturday night following two months' battle with severe illness. Pozela was 34.

Pozela, a member of the country's social democratic party, was hospitalized in August suffering from acute pancreatitis. Since then, medics have been fighting for his life.

On Sunday morning, they announced the battle with the illness "was unequal".

"We have put all our efforts to save Juras Pozela's life," the head of Vilnius university hospital Santariskiu klinikos Kestutis Strupas was quoted as saying in an announcement on Sunday morning.

"Unfortunately, pancreatitis is insidious, hardly predictable illness," said Strupas.

Pozela, the vice-chairman of Lithuania's social democratic party and a member of the parliamentary health affairs committee, was appointed as the country's health minister in March, following resignation of social democrat Rimante Salaseviciute amid bribery scandal.

He was a member of the parliament since 2012. On Sunday, Lithuanian leaders and party fellow members extended their condolences.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the country has lost a promising politician who, despite his young age, has managed to earn people's trust.

"The future of Lithuania's social democrats has been associated with Pozela's name," Grybauskaite was quoted as saying in an announcement from the president's office.

After the first round of voting in the country's parliamentary election last Sunday, Pozela already secured the seat in the parliament coming 7th in the party's candidates list.

Prime minister of Lithuania social democrat Algirdas Butkevicius says Pozela was "a man of action and word".

"His youth has provided him with drive and confidence, and his wisdom and diligence has helped gain people's trust," Butkevicius said in his condolence letter.

"Juras was always full of interesting ideas and beautiful plans," said Butkevicius.

Pozela was the first minister in Lithuania's history to die while in office. Endit