This time, robots will also perform surgeries in the state government hospitals. Robotic surgery is going to be introduced in SSKM, the first among the government hospitals in the state. The government had started preparations for this a couple of years ago. Earlier, the health department had called for tenders to purchase robots. Finally, a Cambridge-based company got the contract to supply robots to SSKM Hospital at a price of 6 crore 44 lakh rupees.

After completing all the processes, the health department issued guidelines on Monday and informed about this.

Actually, robotic surgery is a method of performing surgery using very small tools attached to a robotic arm. The surgeon controls the robotic arm with a computer. Sitting at the computer station, he directs the movements of the robot. Doctors say that this surgery will be controlled from a distance from the patient’s bed. There will be a 3D screen in front of the doctor. With the help of it, he will instruct the robot how to perform the surgery. In that case, if a patient has a tumor inside the abdomen, this robot will insert a camera through a small hole as per the doctor’s instructions. As a result, the surgeon will be able to see where the tumor is. In the same way, he will instruct the robot to perform surgery. The robot will work as per the instructions of a doctor’s brain. According to doctors, there are many senior surgeons whose hands tremble during surgery due to age despite their experience. It is possible to perform robotic surgery by utilizing their experience.

Currently, the need for robotic surgery is increasing in complex surgeries in urology, surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, gynecology, chest diseases, kidney and head and neck, breast, colon cancer. Robotic surgery is performed in several private hospitals. In that case, the cost is very high. However, robotic surgery will be free in government hospitals. According to doctors, to reduce the cost of robotic surgery, it is necessary to use robots made with domestic technology. Because the price of robots from foreign companies is high. Apart from that, the maintenance cost is also high. As a result, the poor and middle class cannot afford this cost. It is known that Gurugram-based company SS Innovation experimentally developed the robot in 2019. The first indigenous robot developed by them, SSI Mantra, started being used in hospitals from 2022. The third version of the robot has already been launched. The robot is used in 75 hospitals in the country. It is capable of performing complex surgeries. It is also said that the company is in talks with some government hospitals in the state.