Robotic surgery poised to transform healthcare beyond India's metro cities Expert

    Bhopal, Apr 18 (PTI) Advancements in robotic surgery will help bridge the healthcare gap between Indian metros and rural areas by decentralising surgical care through remote technology and specialised training, an expert said on Saturday.
    While high-end procedures are concentrated in urban centres, three parallel shifts are now driving the decentralisation of advanced surgical care, bariatric surgeon Dr Mohit Bhandari told PTI.
    "Robotic surgery is poised to fundamentally change how advanced surgical care is delivered beyond metro cities. Traditionally, high-end procedures have been concentrated in tertiary urban centres, but three parallel shifts will drive decentralisation," Dr Bhandari said on the sidelines of the recently concluded 3rd edition of the Global Robotic Surgery Conference in Delhi.
    With advancements in connectivity and latency reduction, expert surgeons will increasingly operate across distances, allowing district hospitals to access super-specialist care without requiring patient migration, he said.
    Dr Bhandari, who performed the world's first transcontinental bariatric surgery from Strasbourg (France) to Indore, said robotic platforms reduce variability, making complex procedures safer even in emerging centres when supported by structured training.
    Referring to the training ecosystem in India, especially in his home state, Madhya Pradesh, he said it has the unique advantage of being able to set up high-volume training hubs where surgeons can be rapidly upskilled in robotics and minimally invasive techniques.
    Talking to PTI, Madhya Pradesh Public Health and Medical Education Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said, "The state goes by the Government of India guidelines with respect to robotic surgery and has accordingly procured equipment and machines. Whatever final directions are received from the Centre will be implemented as per the advisory and budget."
    He informed that a robotic machine will be installed at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, based on the institution's request, and funds worth Rs 30 crore were provided through a CSR initiative of the National Coalfields Limited (NCL) for robotic surgery.
    Shukla admitted that robotic surgery has a promising future to provide quality health services to far-flung areas, but it will be implemented as per the directives of the Government of India.
    Dr Bhandari, who also performed the world's first robotic bariatric telesurgery, operating in remotely from Gurugram on a 45-year-old patient located in Indore, said that long-term vision should not necessarily be placing full robotic systems in districts immediately, but rather in the form of hub-and-spoke models, where district centres are digitally connected to high-volume robotic hubs for mentorship, proctoring, and eventually telesurgery.
    At present, robotic surgery facilities in Madhya Pradesh are still limited and largely concentrated in major cities like Indore, and selectively, in Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur, he noted.
    Dr Bhandari said overall, penetration remains low compared to potential demand. However, given MP's geographic spread, it is one of the states that stands to benefit the most from robotics-enabled outreach and telesurgical models.
    He said that the emergence of humanoid assistants such as "Kaya", showcased at the conference in Delhi, represents an exciting evolution, but it is important to frame expectations realistically.
    In the foreseeable future, humanoids will assist in repetitive, protocol-driven, and logistics-heavy tasks such as patient monitoring, data capture, medication reminders, and workflow optimisation, he said.
    However, human touch remains irreplaceable, he said, adding that nursing is not just task execution but involved empathy, judgment, and human connection.
    He noted that the demand for trained nursing professionals may actually increase as healthcare becomes more technology-driven.
    In essence, robotics and AI will elevate the role of healthcare workers rather than displace them, provided there is proactive re-skilling, Dr Bhandari said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)