In a first, city AIIMS gets robotic surgery facility

Bhubaneswar: AIIMS Bhubaneswar became the first govt medical institution in Odisha to operationalise a comprehensive robotic surgery programme with Union health minister J P Nadda formally launching the Advanced Robotic Surgery System via video link on Monday.

“The robotic surgery programme will initially cover urology, gynaecology, paediatric surgery and other specialties, and will improve surgical precision, reduce blood loss, shorten hospital stays, promote faster recovery and minimise the need for patients to travel outside the state for advanced procedures,” Nadda said while also inaugurating the liver transplant unit at the institute.


The installation of the robotic system reflects a broader vision to integrate advanced medical technologies into public healthcare and democratise access to high-end surgical care, Nadda said.

The health minister said the commencement of the liver transplant programme at AIIMS Bhubaneswar marks an important chapter and a major milestone in strengthening advanced tertiary healthcare services in the region. He said the unit represents a significant step forward in advancing the noble cause of organ donation.

Nadda said the liver transplant facility will bring advanced treatment for end-stage liver disease within the reach of patients in Odisha and eastern India, while enabling economically weaker and disadvantaged patients to undergo transplantation and comprehensive follow-up care without financial hardship.

The institute established a liver transplant operation theatre and a highly advanced ICU equipped with modern medical technology, along with a dedicated liver transplant specialty clinic for structured post-transplant follow-up and continuity of care. Two liver transplants have already been performed, with both patients recovering well and leading normal lives, said an official statement released by the institute.