Pakistan Achieves Milestone with First International Tele-Robotic Surgery

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has achieved a major medical milestone by successfully performing its first-ever international tele-robotic surgery.

The procedure was carried out at Lyari General Hospital, Karachi, where a gynecological operation on a female patient was completed using advanced tele-surgery technology.

Doctors based in Kuwait conducted the surgery from a distance of approximately 1,600 kilometres.

Speaking at a ceremony held at Lyari General Hospital, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that she had inaugurated modern medical facilities at the hospital, where all standard healthcare services are now available.

These include a mortuary, forensic section, and state-of-the-art laboratories for microbiology, biochemistry, and pathology.

She also inaugurated a special training laboratory where medical students will receive hands-on training using mannequins.

On the same occasion, Pakistan’s first international tele-robotic surgery was successfully performed, with doctors from Kuwait and Karachi jointly operating on the patient.

The international surgeons provided guidance and supervision throughout the procedure.

Dr Pechuho explained that robotic surgery does not require large incisions; instead, cameras and surgical instruments are inserted through small openings.

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This advanced system can be used for tumor removal, gynecological procedures, kidney surgeries, and gastrointestinal operations.

She added that the government is committed to improving facilities in all public hospitals, stating that visible improvements are now evident. Lyari General Hospital, she said, was specifically established to provide quality healthcare services to underprivileged areas, and it now serves as a major medical facility for the city.