President Paudel undergoes planned prostate surgery

Nepal: President Ramchandra Paudel on Wednesday underwent successful prostate surgery at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment earlier in the morning.

president ramchandra paudel

 According to a medical bulletin issued by the hospital, Paudel’s health is normal following the surgery.

“[The President’s] prostate gland was removed using bipolar transurethral resection of prostate (TURP),” reads the bulletin. The bipolar TURP procedure is taken as the ‘gold standard’ treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

 

“The President will remain under observation for 48 hours, which is a general procedure,” said Dr Ghanshyam Gurung, acting executive director at the hospital. “The surgery was planned.”

 

Paudel has been suffering from prostate problems for years and has been taking medicines for the past one-and-a-half decades.

 

Doctors say prostate problems in men are common problems, as most men suffer from the condition after reaching a certain age.

 

Since assuming office as President some 20 months ago, Paudel has been admitted to hospitals several times.

 

The 80-year-old President was earlier admitted at the same hospital on June 17 last year after experiencing chest-related complications.

 

He had been admitted to the Gangalal Hospital the same month after complaining of chest pain. Then he was admitted to the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre for the same reason.

 

On June 20, he underwent heart surgery to have a pacemaker permanently implanted.

 

In April last year, the President had been admitted to TUTH twice after experiencing abdominal pain and shortness of breath.

 

He was also airlifted to India on April 19 last year and underwent treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for 11 days.

 

President Ramchandra Paudel returned home on Friday after participating in the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP-29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

 

Vice President Ramsahaya Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal, and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak along with other top officials welcomed President Paudel at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

 

President Paudel addressed the World Leaders Climate Action Summit on Tuesday during the high-level sessions on November 12 and 13. He highlighted several extreme weather events that the country has suffered recently—the destruction caused by the glacial lake outburst in Thame village of Solukhumbu district and last month’s devastation from monsoon-triggered floods, landslides and inundation.

 

He also held a meeting with Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Thursday in Baku and sought the fulfilment of the commitments made by the developed nations.

 

President Poudel had left for Baku on November 10 at the invitation of President Aliyev, to attend the conference.

 

President Ramchandra Paudel embarked on a weeklong visit to Germany and Switzerland on Tuesday.

 

Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav; Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal; Deputy Prime Ministers Raghubir Mahaseth, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Rabi Lamichhane; Speaker Devraj Ghimire; National Assembly Chairman Narayan Dahal among others bade farewell to the President.

 

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Paudel will attend the inaugural forum of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, slated to coincide with the high-level segment of the 112th session of the International Labour Organisation.

 

The President and his delegation left Kathmandu for Qatar on his way to Geneva.

 

The President and his delegation will reach Doha on Tuesday evening, where they will be welcomed by the Nepali ambassador in Qatar, Naresh Bikram Dhakal, and other officials. After a layover of a couple of hours at Doha airport, the President and his delegation will leave for Geneva and will reach there by Wednesday morning.

 

Paudel is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, on Wednesday, and address the forum on Thursday.

 

On Wednesday afternoon, the President and Nepali delegation will head for the Federal Palace in the Swiss capital Bern for a meeting with President Amherd.

 

On Thursday, the President will participate in the high-level segment of the 112th International Labour Conference, where Paudel will deliver a keynote speech. On the same day, he will attend other functions organised by the Nepali Embassy in Switzerland and the International Labour Organization.

 

Friday will be dedicated to sightseeing and personal leisure time. Then, on Saturday, the President and the Nepali delegation will leave for Berlin, Germany and are expected to reach there on Saturday evening, according to the itinerary seen by the Post.

 

The President is making the official visit to Germany at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

On Sunday, according to the itinerary, President Paudel will visit GFZ German Research for Geosciences, Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS) in Potsdam. After presentations at the two institutions, the President will tour the Telegrafenberg Campus, Einstein Tower Potsdam, and Grober Refraktor and will visit Cecilienhof and Sanssouci Palace Museum and Garden.

 

Sunday evening will see Paudel interacting with the Nepali community living in Germany as well as representatives of Non-resident Nepali Association and Nepali Diaspora.

 

Monday’s schedule includes sightseeing and visits to the Berlin Wall, Berlin Dome, and Brandenburg Gate. In the afternoon, he will leave for Schloss Bellevue, the German President's office.

 

In the evening the two Presidents will hold a bilateral meeting, while their spouses, Sabita Paudel, the first lady of Nepal, and Elke Budenbender, the first lady of Germany, will hold a parallel meeting at the President's office, according to the itinerary.

 

On Monday, President Paudel will visit the Office of the Germany Trade and Invest (GATI), where Paudel and the managing director of GATI will address the event. Later that evening, the President will meet members of the Nepali Diaspora

 

The President will leave Berlin for Kathmandu via Qatar next Tuesday and arrive home on Wednesday morning.

 

President Ramchandra Paudel met his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin on Monday and expressed his belief that relations between the two countries would be further strengthened.

 

President Paudel said Nepal has accorded high priority to its relations with Germany and conveyed his belief that bilateral relations would further strengthen amid the evolving global context, said Kiran Pokharel, press adviser to President Paudel.

 

“Nepal is committed to achieving sustainable peace, stability, and development. We express our gratitude for the support received from Germany during the peace process. We are confident that Germany will continue to provide support and cooperation as Nepal advances on its path to development,” Pokharel quoted President Paudel as saying to his German counterpart.

 

According to his secretariat, President Paudel underlined the importance of economic development to sustain Nepal’s political achievements.

 

The President also stressed the need to expand trade, investment, and commercial relations between Nepal and Germany and encouraged German investors to consider investing in Nepal.

 

He expressed hope for support from the German government to lift the ban imposed on Nepali airlines from flying into European airspace and to assist in securing the release of Nepalis held hostage in Ukraine.

 

Pokharel said German President Steinmeier pledged Germany’s readiness to provide all possible support for Nepal’s economic development.

 

The President was offered a guard of honour ahead of the bilateral talks.

 

According to the Nepali Embassy in Berlin, President Paudel visited various historic sites, including the Berlin Wall, earlier today. The President was accompanied by first lady Sabita Poudel and other members of the visiting delegation.

 

Paudel reached Germany on Saturday at the invitation of the German President.

 

Prior to reaching Berlin, President Paudel addressed the 112th International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organisation and the inaugural session of the Global Alliance for Social Justice in Switzerland. President Paudel met Swiss President Viola Amherd and discussed issues of bilateral interest on Wednesday.

 

The head of state is scheduled to arrive home on Wednesday morning.

 

The government on Thursday approved the visit of President Ram Chandra Poudel to Switzerland and Germany. This is Poudel’s first official visit after he took the office on March 23 last year.

 

Minister for Information and Communication Technology Rekha Sharma said that Thursday’s Cabinet meeting approved the President’s upcoming visit to Switzerland and Germany.

 

Sharma said the President will first travel to Switzerland to participate in the 112th session of the International Labour Organization. After completing his engagements in Geneva, the President will visit Germany. Poudel will address an event called “Global Coalition for Social Justice” in Geneva and meet some political figures.

 

In November last year, Paudel was all set to visit France, Italy and Germany, but the plan was postponed due to an earthquake in Rukum West and Jajarkot districts. At least 153 people died, hundreds were injured, and thousands were displaced by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that rocked areas beyond the two districts of Karnali Province.

 

The President and the Nepali delegation will leave for Switzerland on June 12. On June 13, the President will address the 112th session of the International Labour Organization in Geneva on the topic of social justice, said a senior foreign ministry official.

 

A minister, senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials at the president's office will accompany the president on these visits.

 

Officials at the Nepali Embassy in Geneva are instructed to prepare for other engagements, including his meeting with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, and other senior Swiss government officials.

 

After completing the engagements in Switzerland, the President and his entourage will embark on a visit to Germany on June 16.

 

The visit is taking place at the invitation of German President Frank Wanter Steinmeier. Paudel will stay in Germany for three days as the German president's guest. Visits to both European nations are “official goodwill,” said the foreign ministry officials. As of now, no agreement or understanding has been agreed upon for signing.