BHAKTAPUR: The Human Organ Transplant Centre, Bhaktapur, performed two free kidney transplant surgeries for the first time in the country on Sunday.

The government had recently declared that kidney transplant surgeries would be performed for free.

Executive Director of HOTC Bhaktapur Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha said free surgeries were performed on Laxmi Dhakal, 26, of Naglebhare of Kathmandu and Dipak Gurung, 30, of Pokhara. Dhakal had received a kidney donated by her mother Chandika Dhakal, 40, and Gurung had received a kidney donated by his mother Sunmaya Gurung, 60.

Dr Shrestha informed that this was a second kidney transplant surgery performed on Gurung, who had his first transplant surgery in 2009 from India. Dhakal had been on dialysis in Bhaktapur for the last two years. “The hospital also will look after the patients for one week after the surgery as the patient stays for recovery. All expenses including medicines will be covered by the government,” he said.