Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) chairman and former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa’s health condition is improving as doctors implanted a pacemaker into his chest on Sunday.

A team of doctors involving Dr RR Kasliwal from India and Dr Bharat Rawat placed the electronic device that takes over the function of the natural cardiac pacemaker, at Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu.

“He is conscious now. We have to see how his body reciprocates next 24 hrs,” said Dr Rawat.

Thapa is out of ventilator and breathing on his own, according to the doctors.

A doctors' team including heart specialists who arrived from India today, is now monitoring the progress made by Thapa.

84-year-old Thapa, who is still active in politics, was rushed to hospital after he passed out while speaking at a joint meeting of RJP and Rastriya Prajatantra Party to discuss the possible unification between the two parties on Saturday.

Thapa, a five-time Prime Minister, had attended a mass meeting organised by opposition parties on Friday to protest 'unilateral' announcement of fresh Constituent Assembly polls by the Maoist-Madhesi government. nepalnews.com

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