India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said Wednesday that she is being treated for kidney failure and undergoing tests for a possible transplant.

Swaraj, one of India's best-known female politicians and a veteran leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), tweeted that she was undergoing dialysis at a private hospital in New Delhi.

“I am in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) because of kidney failure. Presently, I am on dialysis,” the 64-year-old tweeted from her verified account, which has over 6.5 million followers. “I am undergoing tests for kidney transplant.”

The Press Trust of India news agency said Swaraj, who suffers from chronic diabetes, had been admitted to AIIMS on November 7.

Millions of Indians suffer from kidney disease, mostly because of high rates of diabetes.

But the country has low rates of organ donation and a chronic shortage of organs available for transplant has fuelled a black market.

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...