Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated robotic surgery facility at IGMC, Shimla, which has been installed at a cost of Rs. 28.44 crore. He said that after the successful commencement of State-of-Art Robotic Surgery facilities at Chamiyana in Shimla district, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College at Nerchowk in Mandi district, now this facility has been made available for patients at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that this facility would significantly strengthen minimally invasive and advanced surgical procedures in specialties such as General Surgery, Gastro Surgery, Oncology and Gynecology. It was expected to greatly benefit patients from across the State by providing access to precision-based, advanced surgical care closer to home.
The Chief Minister said that people were now receiving world-class robotic surgery facilities in government hospitals of the State, which was the first of its kind in North India. He said that a robotic surgery machine would also be installed at Hamirpur Medical College within the next one month and the State Government was committed to ensuring that people living in remote and far-flung areas are also benefitted from robotic surgery.
In this direction, the Government was also considering to introduce robotic surgery facilities in Kullu and other major hospitals of far-flung areas of the State, he added. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that there was no dearth of funds for strengthening the health sector in the State and the Government was according priority to provide world-class medical facilities to the common people of the State.
He further said that advanced medical laboratories were being established at IGMC Shimla, Chamiyana and Tanda Medical College and an advanced 3-Tesla MRI machine has already been installed at IGMC, which was proving boon for the patients. He also asserted that the fee for robotic surgery has been fixed at Rs. 50,000 for patients opting for special wards, while patients who do not opt for special wards would be charged Rs. 30,000 for the procedure.
Health Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil, MLA Harish Janartha, Secretary Health M. Sudha Devi, Director Medical Education Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Director Health Services Dr. Gopal Beri and other senior officers of the Health Department were present on the occasion.