Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday underwent kidney transplant surgery successfully at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). “Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Union Finance and Corporate Affairs underwent renal transplant surgery today at AIIMS, Delhi. The surgery has been successful. Both the recipient and donor are stable and recovering well,” AIIMS statement said.
Jaitley was working from home since April after he confirmed his illness in a tweet. “I am being treated for kidney related problems & certain infections that I have contracted,” he had tweeted. However, he attended a cabinet meeting at South Block in April and chaired the GST Council Meeting on May 4 through video conferencing. He is expected to rejoin work in the second half of the fiscal.
According to sources, nephrologist Dr Sandeep Guleria from Apollo Hospital, also the brother of AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, who is a family friend, is part of the team who performed the transplant.
In September 2014, Jaitley underwent a bariatric surgery to treat weight gain because of a long-standing diabetic condition. The surgery was first performed at Max Hospital, but he had to be later shifted to AIIMS because of complications. Jaitley had a heart surgery several years ago.