AIIMS Raipur becomes first govt hospital in central India to get robotic surgery facility

Raipur, Sep 6 (PTI) The first robotic surgery system facility in a government health institution in central India was inaugurated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, on Saturday by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.

Sai performed the first dry lab dissection on the system, named 'Dev Hast', formally launching it, a government statement said.

"Robotic surgery is a new dimension in the development of healthcare facilities in Chhattisgarh. This historic moment will prove to be a milestone in providing advanced and quality treatment to the people of the state," Sai said.

He stated this is the first robotic surgical system to be installed in any government health institution in central India.

"Doctors are considered a form of God on the earth because they give us life. The robotic surgery system being launched today has been named 'Dev Hast'. This system will benefit patients not only from Chhattisgarh but also from other states who seek treatment at AIIMS Raipur, which is proving to be a milestone in providing excellent healthcare facilities," he said.

Recalling his association with AIIMS Raipur, CM said, "I have a special attachment with this institute. When the approval for its construction was granted, I was a Member of Parliament. We had requested then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to establish a branch of AIIMS in Chhattisgarh.

"It was essential to reduce the burden on the only AIIMS in Delhi and to provide advanced healthcare facilities to people in their own states," he said.

Meanwhile, the CM announced the construction of a fully equipped 'Parijan Niwas' at AIIMS to provide accommodation facilities for relatives of patients admitted from Chhattisgarh as well as other states.

"I fully understand how essential accommodation facilities are for relatives of patients who come from remote areas. When I was an MP, my residence in Delhi was called 'Mini AIIMS' because relatives of patient used to stay there. This work of public service has always been close to my heart," Sai said.

During his tenure as an MP from 2014 to 2019, Sai facilitated nearly Rs 12 crore from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for patients.

"In Raipur too, at Kunkuri Sadan, I have arranged for the stay of patients' relatives, which benefits people not only from my constituency but from across the state," he added.

In the last 20 months since his government came to power, five new medical colleges have been approved, and continuous efforts are being made to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, he said.

"A 5,000-bed Medicity is under construction at Nava Raipur. When Chhattisgarh was formed, there was only one medical college. Today, 15 medical colleges are operational across the state," Sai added.

The chief minister expressed concerns over the rising incidence of cancer due to lifestyle and dietary changes.

"The treatment cost of these diseases is expensive. To address this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme, under which poor families are entitled to free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh," he added.

State's Health and Family Welfare Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said, Chhattisgarh will greatly benefit from the 'Dev Hast' robotic surgical system, and very soon, robotic surgery facilities will also be made available at Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, a government hospital in Raipur.

Lieutenant General Dr Ashok Jindal (retd), Director and CEO of AIIMS Raipur, and others were present. PTI TKP NSK