Robotic Surgery: Future Prospect in Himachal's Health Schemes

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that robotic surgery will not be included in Ayushman Bharat or Himcare schemes until infrastructure is developed and costs decrease. Current plans involve training staff and maintaining machines, with a goal to make robotic surgery more accessible and affordable for underprivileged patients.

Robotic surgery will remain excluded from the Ayushman Bharat and Himcare schemes in Himachal Pradesh for now, according to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. He disclosed this strategy during a Vidhan Sabha session, attributing the decision to the need to develop requisite infrastructure and cost-effectiveness for robotic surgeries.

Currently, the government is focused on auditing and enhancing the Himachal Health Care Scheme, better known as Himcare. A patient who elects for robotic surgery in special wards pays Rs 1 lakh, while other patients receive a subsidy, reducing their costs to Rs 30,000. The government initially ordered two robotic machines, and later increased the order under the same tender.

Two companies submitted bids for these multi-crore projects, with the government successfully negotiating a price Rs 1 crore lower than AIIMS paid for similar systems. Sukhu assures that the state is training personnel and ensuring the machines' maintenance, reinforcing healthcare as a key priority.