The US Secretary of Defense, who kept quiet about his illness, was admitted to the hospital due to prostate cancer

The US President discovered this after a delay of several weeks Lloyd Austin It was announced on Tuesday local time that the Defense Minister had been diagnosed with prostate cancer John KirbyWhite House national security spokesman, who said it was “not ideal for leadership to remain unaware of such a situation for so long.”

According to the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin was diagnosed with the disease at the beginning of December, and underwent a “minor” surgery on December 22. After the procedure, he was able to return home the next day. But on January 1, the minister was hospitalized again due to a urinary tract infection, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

The White House did not learn until the beginning of last January that Lloyd Austin was receiving treatment for health problems at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington, D.C., and that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that he had undergone surgery on December 22. Joe Biden He didn't know until Tuesday

Kirby said in his press conference, noting that this is not the way it should be done.

According to a statement issued by Walter Reed Hospital, 70-year-old Lloyd Austin's disease was diagnosed at an early stage and his prognosis was excellent. The hospital said he was admitted to the hospital again due to post-operative complications, but his condition is improving and he is expected to make a full recovery, which may be a long process. They added in the announcement that the Minister of Defense never lost consciousness during his treatment, and it was not necessary to put him under anesthesia.

It is common practice in the United States for senior officials to disclose information about their medical conditions. Lloyd Austin was heavily criticized by many for failing to do so. The minister later apologized and said he would “do it better” in the future.

(MTI)