The National University Hospital in Singapore has started plasmapheresis on Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli from Friday.
Bishnu Rimal, chief political advisor to the PM, citing the PM's personal doctor Divya Singh Shah has said plasmapheresis has been started on PM Oli and it will be repeated for a few more times. PM's health is normal and stable, according to Rimal.
Plasmapheresis is a term used to refer to a broad range of procedures through which blood components are filtered outside the body. It is likely that the procedure has been done on PM Oli, who had a kidney transplant 12 years ago, to remove antibodies for immunosuppression.
The sources close to PM Oli have yet to reveal whether the procedure has been done in preparation for another transplant or for the transplant already done 12 years back.
But nephrologist Dr Rishi Kumar Kafle, who has cared for PM Oli in the past, told Setopati that the procedure may have been done to lessen the attack on already-donated kidney by the antibodies.
Dr Kafle says how effective the plasmapheresis on PM Oli has been will be known in the coming 15 days. "It will work for some years if the procedure works well. PM will need another transplant if it is not effective," Dr Kafle stated.
PM Oli had left for Singapore on Thursday just 10 days after a nine-day stay at the hospital there.
