Brazil’s Lula cancels Russia Brics trip after minor brain haemorrhage from fall
The 78-year-old president was treated at a hospital after cutting his head in an accident at his home
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday cancelled his trip to Russia for the Brics summit, following medical advice to temporarily avoid long-haul flights after a head injury at home that caused a minor brain haemorrhage.
In a statement, the presidential office said Lula, 78, will now participate in the Brics meeting via videoconference. He was initially scheduled to depart at 5pm on Sunday.
Lula’s doctor, Roberto Kalil, said in an interview with GloboNews TV channel that the president suffered a fall that caused “great” trauma to the back of his head, requiring stitches for the injury and resulting in a “small brain haemorrhage” in the temporal-frontal region.
“It’s a condition that will require repeat tests throughout the week. Any brain haemorrhage, theoretically, can worsen in the following days, so observation is important,” he said.
Kalil added that Lula is doing well and can engage in normal activities.
According to a medical report issued earlier on Sunday by the Sirio Libanes Hospital in Brasilia, Lula suffered a laceration to the “occipital region” in the back of his head on Saturday.