External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is expected to undergo a kidney transplant at AIIMS on Saturday, with the organ being harvested from a living unrelated donor.

"Living unrelated donor could be anyone who is emotionally attached to the recipient, such as friend, a relative, a neighbour or an in-law. As no suitable donor was available in the immediate family, the transplant will be done with the kidney from a living unrelated donor. As of now the transplant is scheduled to take place this weekend. The clearance from the authorisation committee has been obtained," PTI sources at AIIMS had said on Tuesday, adding that Swaraj's pre-transplant process was complete.

The surgery will be performed by a team of experts constituted by AIIMS.

According to doctors, Swaraj been suffering from diabetes for quite a long time. After the kidney failure diagnosis, she was put on maintenance dialysis. "She undergoes dialysis thrice a week," a senior doctor said.

On November 16, Swaraj had tweeted that she was in AIIMS because of kidney failure. "I am in AIIMS because of kidney failure. Presently, I am on dialysis. I am undergoing tests for a kidney transplant. Lord Krishna will bless," Swaraj had tweeted.

64-year-old Swaraj, who has been in and out of the hospital for last few months, was admitted to AIIMS on November 7. After Swaraj made public her health condition on social media, support had poured in for her with several people offering their kidneys for transplant.

Earlier she was admitted to AIIMS in April for treatment of pneumonia and other health issues.