Pope Francis Undergoes Bronkitical Tests And Treatment At Hospital

Pope Francis. (Wikimedia Commons/Yakov Fedorov)

JAKARTA - World Catholic Church leader Pope Francis was taken to hospital on Friday morning local time, to undergo tests and continue his bronchitis treatment, the Vatican said.

"This morning, at the end of his hearing, Pope Francis was treated at Policlinico Agostino Gemelli to undergo several necessary diagnostic tests and continue his bronchitis treatment, which is still ongoing, in the hospital environment," the Vatican said in a statement. a statement.

Francis has been a Pope since 2013. He has suffered from influenza and several other health problems over the past two years.

Earlier this month, Pope Francis told the people in a weekly audience he suffered "severe spots", which the Vatican later described as bronchitis.

Pope Francis is known to continue to carry out his daily schedule despite illness, attending a meeting at the Vatican residence where he lives.

Before going to the hospital on Friday, he held an official meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Pope Francis also held a meeting on Friday morning with Cardinal Luis Tagle, a senior Vatican official, with a Catholic philanthropic group centered in Puerto Rico, and with Mark Thompson, CNN news channel leader and CEO.

A person attending one of the meetings, who asked not to be named for sensitive issues, said the Pope seemed to have difficulty speaking during their meeting.

Previously, Pope Francis recently fell twice at his residence in the Vatican, his chin was bruised in December and his arm was injured in January.

Gemelli Hospital in Rome, which is the city's largest hospital, has a special space to care for the Pope.

Pope Francis spent nine days there in June 2023, when he underwent surgery to repair the stomach hernia.