The PM's health is of concern to everyone, and his personal doctor and advisers must update the public about his health

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to Grande International Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment. Although attending doctors say he was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday for regular medical check-up, there are conflicting reports about his health in the media, with some conjecturing that he is undergoing a dialysis this time.

Although not officially confirmed, it is said he underwent dialysis for two consecutive days before being discharged from the hospital. True, as a kidney patient, he needs to undergo regular health check-ups, but the frequency with which he has been visiting hospitals both inside and outside the country for treatment raises speculations, both in the media and among the people, about just how bad his health might be.

Details about his health status are scanty, as if the doctors and personal media advisors are deliberately trying to withhold certain vital information. Even during his first visit to Singapore in August, there was neither any health update from the hospital where he underwent treatment nor did he hold any press conference upon his return on August 12.

Although a kidney patient, his hectic schedule seen in running both the country and the party has often baffled the people. Only last week he had been to Baku, Ajerbaijan to attend the Summit of the heads of state and government of the Non-aligned Movement. And during the Tihar festival this week, he was attending programmes for long hours when he could have been taking good rest when the whole country was on leave. His refusal to take adequate rest was bound to affect his health.

Prime Minister Oli underwent a successful kidney transplant in India in 2007 after both his kidneys failed, and his health has since depended on just how well his transplanted organ functions. A problem with a transplanted kidney is that antibodies in the body can reject it at any time, leading to kidney failure.

He had flown to Singapore on August 22 – the second time in as many weeks – for a plasmapheresis process to remove the antibodies, which had increased in the Prime Minister’s body, and enhance the capacity of his kidneys. During his two-week stay in Singapore, he had undergone seven plasmapheresis procedures.

The health of the prime minister as the chief executive of the country is of concern to everyone, and it is only right that his personal doctor and his advisers update the public about his health. There is no point in misleading the people with press statements about his health being normal as they are bound to find out the true status from other sources, namely the media. If the prime minister is indeed undergoing dialysis, then this is going to take a good amount of his time every week.

It is best he heed the advice of his doctors seriously this time and take whatever precautions necessary so that his health does not deteriorate any further. At this hour, it will be necessary to keep visitors, especially from his party, at bay.

Prime Minister Oli should know best how much more he can push himself further, and based on that assumption he should now plan on the future strategy of his government and party.

Technical education

Sudurpaschim Province is lagging behind in terms of education, health facility, tourism activities, infrastructure and other basic needs. Despite the fact that the province is rich in natural resources and also has fertile land, people have not been able to reap benefits from these resources due to lack of technical hands. No province can prosper without skilled human resources to tap the potential that a region holds.

In order to expedite economic growth, Dhangadi Sub-Metropolis is all set to open a polytechnic institute to run diploma courses on Hotel Management and Automobile Engineering in the first phase. An understanding has been reached with the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT).

As per the plan, a student will complete the diploma level course at a cost of just Rs 190,000. There will be 40 seats in Hotel Management and 48 seats in Automobile Engineering. One seat has been granted to each ward of the sub-metropolis and one seat each for nine districts of the province. An aspiring student has to pass an entrance exam to secure a seat in the programmes.

Such institutes should be opened in all the provinces so that mid-level skilled hands can be utilised within the country.