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84-year-old archbishop discharged from hospital after minor procedure, family says
Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been discharged from a South African hospital where he has spent the last three weeks receiving treatment, his family says.
The 84-year-old Nobel laureate, a key figure in the fight against apartheid, admitted himself to a hospital in Cape Town last month to bring a recurring infection under control, according to a statement from his family.
He subsequently underwent a minor procedure to address the issue, it said.
His wife, Leah Tutu, said in a statement Wednesday she was overjoyed to welcome her husband home. She said would do everything she could to bring him back to full health.
Tutu underwent hospital tests for a persistent infection in 2013. A year later, he canceled travel plans because of a long-running battle with prostate cancer, first diagnosed in 1997.
Tutu, the first black Archbishop of Cape Town, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid. In his later years, he has remained active with the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation and other organizations.
Tutu played a key role in South Africa’s transition from the apartheid era, including serving as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at the direction of then-President Nelson Mandela.
CNN’s Tim Hume contributed to this report.
