KARACHI: Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre(JPMC) has completed more than 1,500 robotic surgeries since launching the service in October 2023, with the estimated value of the procedures exceeding 600 million rupees, hospital officials said.
The hospital is currently performing around eight to 10 robotic surgeries a day. Officials said the growing number of patients has prompted plans to expand the robotic surgery program and install additional robotic systems to reduce lengthy waiting periods for procedures.
JPMC Deputy Director Dr Saddam Saleh said more than 1,500 successful robotic operations had been performed since the program began. If the current pace continues, the number could reach between 1,800 and 2,000 surgeries by the end of the year.
Saleh said patients are not charged any additional fee for robotic surgery. The service is being provided free of charge under the Sindh government’s budget.
Dr Naresh Kumar, head of JPMC’s urology department, said robotic surgery has made it possible to perform complex procedures with greater precision and smaller incisions.
Traditional open surgery could require an incision of 15 to 20 centimeters, while robotic procedures can be performed through three small openings.
He said robotic surgery can reduce blood loss and postoperative discomfort and can help patients recover more quickly. The technology also provides surgeons with a highly detailed, three-dimensional view during complex procedures.
Robotic surgery at JPMC is being used to treat patients with complex conditions in several specialties, including urology, general surgery and gynecology.
The number of procedures performed each day varies depending on the nature and complexity of cases, while the hospital conducts about 50 or more robotic surgeries each month.
The growing demand for robotic procedures has created additional pressure on the hospital. Saleh said patients travel to JPMC from Sindh, Balochistan, southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country for robotic and complex surgeries.
As a result, some patients have to wait for extended periods before receiving surgery. Hospital officials said efforts are underway to expand the robotic surgery program and introduce additional systems and medical facilities to increase the number of daily procedures.
Saleh said improvements in specialist training have also reduced the time required for robotic operations, allowing the hospital to perform more procedures each day.
JPMC has also developed into a training center for robotic surgery, with surgeons from Hyderabad, Larkana, Lahore and other parts of Pakistan receiving training there. Surgeons and technical staff from the Aga Khan Hospital in Kenya have also received training at the center.
Hospital officials said further expansion of the robotic surgery program, along with a new medical tower, additional beds and other facilities, would help address the growing patient load and reduce waiting times for complex surgical procedures.
