The King Edward Medical University (KEMU) has submitted a PC-I project proposal to the Punjab health department to introduce robotic surgery at Mayo Hospital. This cutting-edge, minimally-invasive technique will make Mayo Hospital the first public sector teaching institute in Punjab to offer this advanced treatment, promising a 100% success rate.
Previously, the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) in Karachi pioneered this facility, performing over 1,500 urology-related robotic surgeries since 2012. An insider revealed that this initiative is part of significant reforms led by Maryam Nawaz’s provincial government, aiming to equip public medical institutes with the latest surgical technologies, modeled after advanced countries like India.
To support the project, Mayo Hospital has recruited two expert robotic surgeons, Assistant Professors Dr. Usman Ismail Butt and Umar Warraich, along with Abdul Rehman, a technician in robotic surgery. The Punjab Public Service Commission created a BS-17 post for Abdul Rehman’s appointment.
Robotic surgery has transformed medicine by providing patients with a minimally-invasive alternative to traditional surgeries. Over the past years, various private healthcare facilities in Lahore have performed more than 450 robotic procedures, all boasting a 100% success rate.
The initiative aims to deliver high-precision, low-cost procedures in the public sector. Advanced robotic equipment, such as the CMR Surgical Robotic System, has enabled a wide range of procedures in the private health sector.
KEMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Mahmood Ayyaz significantly contributed to the project’s success, bringing his expertise and a trained team from a private healthcare facility. His team has served patients from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India, with over 95% reporting excellent outcomes after robotic surgeries. Notably, they executed Pakistan’s first robotic Adrenalectomy, setting the stage for the Mayo Hospital project.
Prof. Mahmood Ayyaz held multiple meetings to establish Mayo Hospital as a hub for robotic surgeries in the public sector. Unlike SIUT in Karachi, which offers robotic surgeries only for urology, Mayo Hospital will provide robotic procedures across general surgery, gynecology, and urology. This includes major surgeries for the gallbladder, appendix, intestines, uterus, ovaries, prostate, and kidneys.
If successful, the project will also help train a new generation of highly skilled surgeons, leveraging Mayo Hospital’s extensive departments and qualified FCPS medics.
“Robotic surgery offers numerous benefits, including less pain and scarring, reduced risk of complications, faster recovery, extraordinary accuracy, minimal blood loss, lower costs, and excellent surgical outcomes,” the official stated.
