Strengthening the state’s push towards advanced healthcare services, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday inaugurated a robotic surgery facility at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College, Nerchowk in Mandi district. Established at a cost of Rs 28.44 crore, the state-of-the-art facility marks a significant step in strengthening high-end medical infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh.With the launch of the facility, the Nerchowk medical college has become the third government institution in the state to offer robotic surgery services after Atal Super Speciality Hospital Chamiyana in Shimla and Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Tanda in Kangra. The Chief Minister also personally observed the first robotic surgery conducted at the newly installed system.Sukhu said the state government was committed to expanding cutting-edge medical technology across all government medical colleges. He announced that robotic surgery services would soon be introduced at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla, and Dr Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur, with the process already underway.Highlighting the growing adoption of robotic-assisted procedures in the state, the Chief Minister said 151 surgeries have already been successfully performed using robotic systems at the Chamiyana facility, while 92 procedures have been conducted at Tanda Medical College. Both centres, he said, have reported encouraging outcomes.Sukhu emphasised that the government was working to equip medical colleges in the state with advanced technologies comparable to those available at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi.During the event, Sukhu also announced the establishment of a cardiology department at the Nerchowk medical college and said postgraduate (PG) courses would be introduced in all departments of the institution. In departments where the required number of professors is not available, the government will provide a one-time relaxation to allow PG courses to begin without delay.The CM further announced an increase in senior residency posts at the college and said that departments such as radiology would be strengthened. Vacant posts of doctors, paramedical staff and technicians will also be filled to improve patient care.He added that the state government has taken a policy decision to introduce PG courses and senior residency programmes in all medical colleges across Himachal Pradesh to strengthen medical education and ensure that patients receive quality treatment within the state.To further enhance healthcare infrastructure, Sukhu said vacant posts at the Nerchowk Trauma Centre will be filled soon. The process to install a three-Tesla MRI machine and a LINAC machine is underway, while a PET scan machine will also be installed at the medical college in the near future.In a move to support medical professionals, the Chief Minister announced a significant increase in stipends for senior resident doctors. The stipend has been raised from Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh, while that for senior resident super specialist doctors has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.30 lakh.During his visit, Sukhu interacted with doctors and staff at the medical college to gather feedback on existing facilities and shortcomings.Medical college Principal DK Verma also briefed the Chief Minister about the healthcare facilities available at the institution.

Original source: in