Washington

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has courted controversy for hiding his medical condition from the White House amid the delicate geopolitical landscape involving the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel-Hamas war. There have been calls for his resignation from critics who say the senior government official violated the law by failing to report his hospitalisation to his bosses. The incident soon snowballed into a so-called transparency scandal.

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What did Austin do?

Austin, 70, was hospitalised on New Year's Day (Jan 1) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre due to complications from an elective medical procedure.

Surprisingly, the Pentagon did not make any official announcement until four days later while waiting to notify other top government officers about Austin's absence. 

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During the period, Austin was away from action, and some of his powers were transferred to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.

However, even she was not informed that his boss had been hospitalised until two days later. 

What did the doctors say?

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Austin was attended to by a team of doctors who later released a medical bulletin informing about his medical history for the last month.

The doctors clarified that prior to the New Year's Day admission to ICU, Austin had undergone minor surgery on December 22 after early detection of prostate cancer in routine screening. 

"As part of Secretary Austin's routinely recommended health screening, he has undergone regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) surveillance. Changes in his laboratory evaluation in early December 2023 identified prostate cancer which required treatment," read the statement issued by Dr John Maddox, Trauma Medical Director, and Dr Gregory Chesnut, Center for Prostate Disease Research of the Murtha Cancer Center Director, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. 

"On December 22, 2023, after consultation with his medical team, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer," it added. 

After the procedure, Austin recovered without event and returned home the next morning. However, complications soon emerged and evaluation revealed that abdominal fluid collection was impairing the function of his small intestines. 

"This resulted in the back up of his intestinal contents which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach. The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement."

Also read | US Defence Secy Lloyd Austin was admitted to ICU for complications from prostate cancer surgery

Was Austin ever unconscious?

According to the Pentagon, Austin arrived at the hospital after booking an ambulance in a conscious state. He was later admitted to ICU where he underwent the aforementioned procedures.

The Pentagon clarified that Austin was in a significant amount of pain but did not say if the painkiller medicines he had taken altered his judgment. 

What should have Austin done?

Whatever medical condition a senior government official of the stature of Austin goes through, the protocol mandates that they inform the public of planned medical absences ahead of time.

Additionally, they should identify the associates who would be filling in for them. 

Legally speaking, Austin may have violated internal US Department of Defense protocols.

According to legal experts, the law is largely procedural and does not spell out any penalties for lapses. 

Being the secretary of defence, Austin is required to be available at a moment's notice to answer any national security crisis.

However, his absence put the country in danger - a mistake that could have been easily avoided. 

Watch | US defense secretary Lloyd Austin's secret hospitalization: All you need to know

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What did the White House say?

The White House on Monday (Jan 8) said that Austin would be continuing in his job, adding there was no plan for anything else.

Addressing a press conference on Air Force One, National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson John Kirby said, "There is no plan for anything other than for Secretary Austin to stay in the job." 

However, the DoD was conducting a full review of the incident to determine how future lapses could be prevented. 

Also read | US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will stay in job, says White House

Will Pentagon intervene?

"We are considering the impact of any statutory reporting requirements and will provide updates as appropriate," Chief Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

Ryder further said the reporting requirements being examined would not just involve Congress. "It's to Congress, the White House or anyone else," he said.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer among American men, and impacts 1 in every 8 men - and 1 in every 6 African-American men - during their lifetime.

Despite the frequency of prostate cancer, discussions about screening, treatment, and support are often deeply personal and private ones. Early screening is important for detection and treatment of prostate cancer and people should talk to their doctors to see what screening is appropriate for them. 

(With inputs from agencies)