The Institute of Kidney Diseases at Hayatabad Medical Complex has taken a significant step toward introducing robotic surgery services, a move that would make it the first facility in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to offer this advanced medical technology.
Progress on the initiative followed a one-day live workshop held at the institute, during which visiting surgeons from the United Kingdom performed two robotic procedures. The session provided local doctors and medical staff with hands-on exposure to robot-assisted surgery and highlighted its effectiveness in handling complex urological cases.
Officials at IKD said robotic surgery is already being used in other parts of Pakistan and is expanding rapidly across the world. The technology enables surgeons to operate through small incisions using robotic arms controlled from a console, resulting in higher precision, less blood loss, and shorter recovery times compared to conventional surgical methods.
IKD Director Dr Kamran Khan said a formal proposal has been submitted to the institute’s Board of Governors seeking government approval and a special grant to purchase a surgical robot. He noted that the system costs around $1 million and added that international collaborators and the equipment supplier have expressed willingness to assist with training local surgeons and technical staff.
According to the institute, IKD already has fully equipped operating theaters and surgeons experienced in laparoscopic procedures, making the shift to robotic surgery achievable once specialized training is completed.
In the initial phase, robotic systems will be used for complex cases such as tumor surgeries, with plans to gradually expand their use to other procedures, including organ transplants, in the future.
