Jaitley undergoing kidney transplant surgery at AIIMS

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is undergoing a kidney transplant operation at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today, sources at the hospital said. Jaitley, 65, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and taken to the operation theatre at 8 am today, the sources said.

The minister, suffering from a kidney ailment, has been undergoing dialysis for the last one month. 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 performing the transplant. 

The minister, who cancelled his scheduled visit to London for the 10th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue next week, had confirmed his illness in a tweet on April 6. “I am being treated for kidney related problems & certain infections that I have contracted,” he had tweeted.

Jaitley did not elaborate but said he was “currently working from controlled environment at home”. “The future course of my treatment would be determined by the doctors treating me,” he had said.

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.