GUWAHATI: Ahead of the month-long celebration of Bohag Bihu, also known as Rongali Bihu, Assam on Sunday got the Northeast’s first-ever onco-robotic surgery facility at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital.
The state government procured the Rs 14.99 crore cutting-edge robotic surgery machine under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke scheme of the central government.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said similar facilities were coming up in Silchar and Dibrugarh. He said government hospitals in the state would now offer low-cost, highly precise, and least invasive oncological surgical procedures through “Made in India” in machinery.
He also said that adequate and well-coordinated steps had been taken to ensure empowering doctors to operate this high-end medical equipment.
“To ensure we create manpower to operate high-end medical tech, we are also in the process of beginning nursing colleges in all cancer hospitals across the state where the students will get exposure in the English and Japanese languages to help them expand their career opportunities in vast geographical areas,” the chief minister said.
He expressed gratitude to the ICICI Foundation for its contribution under CSR initiative and donating high-end medical equipment to the State Cancer Institute.
With the launch of the robotic surgery facility, the government reaffirmed its commitment to advance healthcare infrastructure in the state and ensure world-class treatment for every citizen.
An official statement said robotic surgery offers enhanced precision, superior control, and 3D visualisation, enabling better outcomes in cancer care. The machine is equipped with universal safety features and an articulating endoscope and camera control system with the latest software and is ‘Make in India’ technology.
The statement also said that surgery involving this robotic facility would decrease operation time and chances of bleeding.