Ailing Koirala in Singapore

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: Ailing Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala left for Singapore this morning in an air ambulance for further treatment.


Koirala’s treatment began today at Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore, according to NC chief secretary Ram Chandra Pokharel. “It took 5:45 hours


to reach Singapore and his health is now stable,” he added. Koirala’s family sources said he would return home in two weeks. The government will bear all expenses of


his treatment.


Koirala, after a five-day treatment at Shahid Gangalal Heart Centre, flew to Singapore along with two doctors — Man Bahadur KC and Jeju Pokharel — his security guard Mahendra Marasini and two doctors come from Singapore. His daughter and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala also flew to Singapore today in a separate flight.


An ambulance equipped with emergency medical assistance was called from Singapore, as Koirala needs to be given oxygen regularly and he might need emergency services, said attending doctors. The ambulance had arrived from Singapore this morning.


Koirala left Tribhuvan International Airport at 9:10 a.m.


Koirala’s cousin Shekhar Koirala and personal secretary Shekhar Thapa were already in Singapore to arrange for the treatment. Doctors attending


to Koirala said his certain


check-unavailable in Nepal would be done in Singapore. A number of supporters and NC leaders bade farewell to Koirala at the Centre and the TIA.


Deputy Prime Minister


Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar met Koirala at the Centre. Koirala was admitted to the Centre on Monday morning after he complained of breathing difficulty and could not inhale oxygen given to him at home. His personal doctors — Arjun Karki and Jagadish Agrawal — had advised him to go to Singapore for the treatment.