5 Apr 2019

Tonga's prime minister in hospital

9:51 am on 5 April 2019
Tonga Prime Minister, 'Akilisi Pohiva

Tonga Prime Minister, 'Akilisi Pohiva Photo: RNZ Pacific / Koro Vaka'uta

Tonga's Prime Minister 'Akilisi Pōhiva is in hospital.

It's understood the 77-year-old was diagnosed with pneumonia and is recovering.

His media spokesperson Lōpeti Senituli told Kaniva News last night that Mr Pohiva is fine.

In a previous interview Mr Pōhiva told Kaniva News said his routine check-ups with his doctors showed he was healthy but he said he sometimes felt the burden of his duties for the country.

In January last year, he was admitted into Vaiola hospital in a "stable condition."

At the time, a spokesperson said Mr Pōhiva had been moved to the hospital's intensive care unit to avoid being disturbed by visitors.