JUST IN: Ousted President of Mali, Keita rushed to the hospital, see why

The ousted president of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who has not been seen in public since his August 18 ouster in a coup, has been rushed to the hospital.

Embattled Keita was rushed to hospital after suffering a brief stroke-like attack on Tuesday evening.

The 75-year-old was admitted to a private clinic in the capital Bamako, a doctor from the undisclosed hospital confirmed on Wednesday.

The doctor said, “According to thorough analysis, the president was the victim of a transient ischaemic attack. It is an alert, but he is recovering well at the moment.”

A transient ischaemic attack, also called a mini-stroke, happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted for a few minutes, causing stroke-like symptoms such as numbness on one side of the body, vision difficulties or confusion in understanding speech.

“Although the symptoms are typically short-lasting, they are often a warning sign for future strokes,” experts explained.

Earlier Wednesday, an aide to Keita and a medical source had said the former president had been admitted to the clinic for a routine checkup and that he was expected to return home after some time.

Asked how long Keita would stay, the doctor said: “It’s true, his return home was initially envisaged for today, but right now he is under observation.”

President Keita was ousted by military officers who mutinied at a base near Bamako before heading into the city, where they detained him and other leaders.

Hours later, Keita announced on national TV that he was stepping down.

He was released on August 27 by the new junta, who returned him to his residence in Bamako, where according to his entourage he has limited access to a phone and the internet.

The junta has said that Keita is authorised to leave the country for medical care if need be.