Bhubaneswar, 10 July (H.S.): The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar has achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing 100 advanced robotic-assisted surgeries, marking a new era in healthcare services in Odisha and Eastern India.

With this achievement, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has become the first government healthcare institution in Odisha to establish a fully functional multi-disciplinary robotic surgical programme, providing access to advanced surgical technology for patients, particularly those from underprivileged and middle-income groups.

The robotic surgery programme at AIIMS Bhubaneswar has successfully performed complex procedures across five major departments, including General Surgery, Surgical Gastroenterology, Urology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, along with specialised procedures such as robotic bariatric surgery and complex paediatric surgical interventions.

Expressing his satisfaction over the achievement, AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director and CEO Dr. Ashutosh Biswas said that the institution is committed to bringing advanced healthcare technology within the reach of people in Odisha. He added that the robotic surgery initiative has helped make world-class surgical care more accessible and affordable for patients.

Before the introduction of this programme, patients requiring advanced minimally invasive robotic procedures had limited options within the public healthcare system in Odisha and often had to travel to major cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad and New Delhi. The high cost of such procedures in private hospitals also placed a significant financial burden on patients and their families.

With the availability of robotic surgery at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, patients can now access these advanced procedures at subsidised government rates, significantly reducing out-of-pocket expenses and eliminating the need for medical travel outside the state.

A special ceremony was organised at AIIMS Bhubaneswar to commemorate the milestone. The event was attended by Dean (Academic) Dr. Dillip Kumar Parida, Medical Superintendent Dr. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy, OT Committee Chairman and Head of Paediatric Surgery Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohanty, Nodal Officer of the Robotic Surgery Programme and Head of Urology Dr. Prasant Nayak, DDA Lt. Col. Abhijit Sarkar, along with faculty members, nursing officers and staff.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda