Jaitley under observation, kidney transplant in a day or two

New Delhi :  Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for kidney transplant, was kept under observation on Saturday and the surgery may be done either on Sunday or Monday, hospital officials said.

“He was kept under observation today (Saturday). The kidney transplant may be carried out tomorrow (Sunday) or the day after (Monday),” said an official at the hospital on condition of anonymity. Jaitley was admitted in the hospital on Friday evening and since then a series of tests have been done.

The minister is admitted at the hospital’s Cardio-Neuro Tower, where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had her kidney transplant done in December 2016. Family members and non-political friends met the Finance Minister during the day at the facility meant for VVIPs.

The renal transplant would be carried out by a team of senior doctors from AIIMS led by V.K. Bansal. Sandeep Guleria, a specialist from Apollo Hospitals and brother of AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, would also be part of the team.

Jaitley had visited AIIMS on Thursday evening and completed the official formalities required between the donor and the receiver (himself) before the actual transplant is carried out.

The minister had tweeted on Thursday: “I am being treated for kidney related problems and certain infections that I have contracted. I am therefore currently working from controlled environment at home. The future course of my treatment would be determined by the doctors treating me.”

Due to his ill-health, Jaitley had to cancel his next week’s visit to London for the annual economic dialogue. The minister is likely to remain under observation for at least a fortnight at the hospital after the transplant surgery.

Jaitley, who underwent a gastric bypass weight loss surgery in 2015, reportedly visited the AIIMS on Thursday for a check-up where doctors advised him to take rest before his kidney transplant begins.

IANS