Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli planning second kidney transplant

Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday said he is planning to undergo a second kidney transplant as it is a better option than undergoing regular dialysis. Oli, 67, underwent kidney transplant in India in 2007 after both his kidneys failed to function. He has been visiting hospitals abroad for health check-up ever since.

Interacting with editors of major dailies of Nepal, Oli said that he is planning to have kidney transplant as it is a better option than regular dialysis. "After that I would be strong enough to run the government for remaining three years of my tenure," he said.

Oli also underwent an appendicitis surgery in November last year, following which he was on rest for some time. Emphasising that the Nepal government was doing well under his leadership, Oli said there would be no changes.

"There will be no changes in the government. It will work under my leadership,"Oli said. During the interaction, Oli also said that his government is committed to protecting press freedom and other forms of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

"My government is the result of big revolutions, and we have the people's mandate. We cannot think of curtailing press freedom and individual liberty," he said. However, he said there is a need for some sort of regulation to "move the country toward a civilised and respectful society".

Nepal witnessed protests by journalists after the government last year had proposed Media Council Bill, imposing a hefty fine of up to Rs 1 million on media outlets found guilty of damaging anyone's reputation. The bill was tabled in the parliament recently.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)