Shimla, August 12 — Himachal Pradesh’s first robotic surgery facility was inaugurated today at the Atal Institute of Medical Super Specialties in Chamiyana, Shimla district, by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also witnessed the maiden operation conducted using the advanced technology.
Reviewing the hospital’s functioning during a meeting with staff, the Chief Minister assured full government support for strengthening the institute. He announced the creation of new departments, recruitment of lab and dialysis technicians, allocation of ₹11 crore for hostel construction, and the installation of a high-end 3-Tesla MRI machine. An additional ₹23 crore has been sanctioned for establishing an in-house automated laboratory at Chamiyana.
Recalling his own robotic surgery five years ago, Sukhu said, “That was the seed of an idea and today it has become a reality. With this facility, cutting-edge medical care will now be accessible even to common people.” He added that similar facilities would soon be introduced in a phased manner at IGMC Shimla and the medical colleges in Nerchowk, Tanda and Hamirpur.
The CM said the state government is investing over ₹3,000 crore in modern healthcare technology, including replacing outdated equipment such as the 20-year-old MRI machine at IGMC. He stressed that health sector reforms remain a top priority and there is no shortage of funds for the purpose.
In a significant step for medical education, Sukhu announced that, for the first time in over 23 years, technician course seats have been increased. At IGMC, seats for B.Sc (Medical Laboratory Technology), B.Sc (Radiology and Imaging) and B.Sc (Anesthesia and OT Technology) have been raised from 10 to 50. At Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, the same courses have increased from 18 to 50 seats, enabling local youth to train within the state. Automated in-house labs will also be set up in medical colleges at Tanda, Nerchowk, Hamirpur, Nahan and Chamba.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated a paperless lab at Chamiyana hospital, making it the first government hospital in the state to provide patients with online reports. Patients will receive reports directly on their mobile phones, while doctors can access them on their systems.
Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil hailed the development as a “revolutionary leap” in the state’s healthcare sector, predicting that Himachal would soon set an example for other states in delivering high-quality medical services.
The first robotic surgery, performed by Dr Anant Kumar, Dr Pamposh Raina and Dr Pawan Kaundal, was on a Shimla resident suffering from a prostate ailment. The three-hour procedure is expected to allow the patient’s discharge within three to four days, compared to the usual eight to ten days for conventional surgery.
According to doctors, robotic surgery uses advanced robotic arms that filter out natural hand tremors, enabling fine and steady movements, improving accuracy when operating near delicate structures like nerves and blood vessels.
