Kathmandu, March 2

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital today for his second kidney transplant. He will undergo transplant on Wednesday.

“The PM will have to undergo blood and urine tests before undergoing surgery. He should also undergo haemodialysis before transplant. The transplant surgery will depend on his medical reports,” said Dr Prem Raj Gyawali, urology and kidney transplant surgeon, who is in the medical team of TUTH to perform surgery on the PM.

Though the day for transplant has been fixed, the time for surgery has not yet been fixed. “The time has not yet been fixed. We need to wait for his medical reports,” said Dr Prem Khadga, director at TUTH. As a six-member TUTH team and other doctors of anaesthesia and critical care medicine will be involved in the surgery that may take up to two hours, two doctors from India — a physician and a surgeon — have also been invited.

“Though the doctors are invited from India, our team will perform the surgery. They will be staying on standby to handle any emergency situation during the transplant process.

The doctors have been invited as the PM’s first kidney transplant was done in New Delhi, said Dr Gyawali.

PM Oli had undergone first kidney transplant in India in 2007 after both his kidneys malfunctioned. He has been undergoing routine health check-up in foreign countries on a regular basis since then.

He was admitted to Singapore-based National University Hospital in 2014 and was treated for an infectious swelling in his right hand. He had also undergone health checkup at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok.

The PM has been regularly visiting hospitals of late after his transplanted kidney failed to function properly. PM Oli had undergone appendicitis surgery after he was diagnosed with appendicitis and infection in the stomach (peritonitis) on November 2019. He also underwent coronary angiography at Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre, Maharajgunj on February 18.

Although media outlets are raising questions over the donor’s relation with the PM, the PM secretariat has not said anything about the matter. Media reports have also said the PM is going to receive kidney from his second cousin’s wife’s niece. However, the Human Body Organ Transplantation (Regulation and Prohibition) Act-2055 (1998) explains that only a close relative can donate the organs. Close relative in respect of any person means that person’s son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister, uncle, nephew, niece, grand-father, grandmother from the father’s side, grandson, granddaughter from the son’s side, grandson, granddaughter from the daughter’s side, and includes husband, wife, adopted son, adopted daughter, step mother, step father, father-in-law, mother-in-law, with whom relationship has constantly existed since two years.

As the PM is undergoing kidney transplant, people are wishing for his successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a twitter, “My dear friend@ kpsharmaoli ji, wishing you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. May Lord Pashupatinath bless you always with good health, happiness and a very long life. Look forward to your continued contribution to taking India-Nepal relations to new heights.”

Replying to his tweet PM Oli tweeted, “Thank you dear Prime Minister Modiji @PMO India for wishing me a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. It was thoughtful of you to express such warm words, reflecting our close friendship. I am fully committed to continue working closely with you to take Nepal- India relations to new heights.”

Delivering a video message to the citizens today, PM Oli said, “Both of my kidneys failed some 12 years ago. I had gone to India for transplant then. Kidney transplant is not complicated today because of advanced science and technology.

I am happy and proud to get the transplant service in my own country from expert doctors.”

“As a good player doesn’t leave the playground in the middle of the game, I too will not vanish without getting all the dreams realised,” he said.