Robotic surgery comes packed with benefits & is all set to improve healthcare in tier II & III cities, says AKANKSHA SONI
A unique robotic surgery drive is under way with an NGO launching a countrywide awareness journey, taking the roving robot to smaller cities and towns in a bid to bring Indian surgeons to use, touch and feel the new technology. Vattikuti Technologies, in alliance with US-based leading producer of surgical robots, Intuitive Surgical Inc, aim to introduce the da Vinci Robot to hospitals in tier II and II cities, accompanied with instruments required for the next three years at a special price point.
Robotic surgery has been taking mega strides the world over as it comes packed with potent advantages. For one, it allows surgeons to operate with enhanced vision, precision and control. Two, it minimises blood loss, hugely reducing the post-operative recovery time and cost. The technology has given good results in Urology, Gynecology and Head and Neck operations so far.
Three, adoption of robotic surgery by Government hospitals will ensure treatment to people who can’t afford private healthcare but deserve latest medical attention. The Government hospitals typically adopt a dual pricing system — charge only those who can afford.
Sadly, the reach of robotic surgery in India has been limited to top hospitals and surgical staff till now and hence the advantages of this equipment haven’t benefitted the economy as a whole.
“But things are poised to change. Our initiative will also ensure affordability of robotic surgery for cancer patients in smaller cities and towns,” says Gopal Chakravarthy, CEO of Vattikuti Technologies.
The foundation, a not-for-profit organisation promoting the use of technology in healthcare, has helped its commercial arm in training over 200 surgeons from over a dozen cities in nearly 40 hospitals in the last five years. The goal is to have 500 trained surgeons by 2020. It is also helping bridge the training gap by supporting a pool of accomplished robotic surgeons by way of bi-annual conferences, paid fellowships and webinars. These workshops have witnessed keen interest from surgeons in smaller towns and cities.
The foundation will be touring through 20 Indian cities over the next few months and will be demonstrating the surgical robot to a large audience of Indian surgeons.
“With the increased acceptability of robotic surgery, and nearly 40 hospitals already using this advanced technology for surgery in metro cities, we felt it was the right time to take the system to smaller cities. We expect a much better awareness of robotic surgery and its benefits by Indian surgeons. They can touch and feel the robot and experience the use of advanced technology to improve outcomes,” Chakravarthy says.
The roving robot will travel to Dehra Dun, Rishikesh, Muzaffarnagar, Bhopal, Indore, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Vizag, Rajamundry, Vijayawada, Ongole, Tirupati, Vellore, Trichy, Madurai, Trivandrum, Kochi, Calicut, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, Belgaum and Goa over the next six months.