Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a second kidney transplant scheduled for Wednesday. Oli, who underwent his first transplant after both his kidneys failed back in 2007, had not been keeping well for the past few months.

The health of the prime minister is a topic that affects everyone in the country. Oli’s health is always fluctuating due to his nephrological issues. He has undergone plasmapheresis—a process in which the liquid part of the blood, or plasma, is separated from the blood cells—seven times. The last time in 2019. But not long after, the prime minister had to have multiple rounds of dialysis since his kidney was not working properly.

Owing to Oli's long and debilitating stay in jail and the kind of hectic lifestyle he maintains currently, his health has usually been frail. What’s more, he is known to push his boundaries, often ignoring his doctor’s calls for proper rest—and this invites further health complications. Yet, his willpower and determination remains exemplary.

Before getting admitted to hospital, Oli shared a heartfelt video message where he said that no one was immortal, and that he would be back at work soon with added energy. Comparing himself to an athlete, he added, 'Just as a good athlete does not leave the field, I am not about to disappear, abandoning the dream that is energising us.'

KP Sharma Oli is the 38th prime minister of Nepal. He has been nominated prime minister twice, first in 2015 and the second time in 2018. Nepal elected its first provincial governments, marking tangible strides in institutionalising federalism. Oli rose to power as an unapologetically brazen dream merchant. He sold strategic promises of development, prosperity and deliverance. His electoral campaign prodigiously captured the public imagination that yearned for change and granted the left alliance a comfortable two-thirds majority.

But two years down the line, it appears the government is swinging back and forth in its commitments—simultaneously keeping and breaking its promises. His high-handedness in decision making and apparent intolerance of dissent has earned him a negative image in civil society, too.

The Oli-led administration is the first stable government in years. Nepal desperately needed a stable government to steer the country towards development. But the prime minister has headed into surgery at a time when his position in the party seems to have weakened over the months. Reports suggest some behind-the-scenes manoeuvring within the party, of which Oli himself has hinted once in a while—that plots are being hatched to unseat him.’

Despite his shortcomings, Oli has displayed extraordinary resilience and willpower, and we wish him a successful surgery and speedy recovery. Today, as the prime minister goes for surgery, it is imperative we put aside all our differences and hope he comes with added energy as he conveyed in the video message.