Jharkhand will introduce robotic surgery in district hospitals, medical colleges and Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Health Minister Irfan Ansari announced at the state’s first digital health conclave in Ranchi on Wednesday. The move is intended to reduce surgical waiting times and expand access to advanced treatment for poor and needy patients.
Ansari said government hospitals were facing long queues of patients requiring surgery, while surgeons had limitations in handling a large number of procedures. “To bridge the gap, the department is making significant efforts to introduce robotic surgery in state hospitals. This will ensure faster treatment, save valuable time and require less manpower,” he said.
The announcement places robotic systems within a wider digital-health expansion being pursued by the state health department. Robotic machines, artificial-intelligence technologies and advanced medical equipment were among the key areas showcased at the conclave, which brought together doctors, technology experts, investors and healthcare representatives from across India.
The state also launched a 10-bed tele-ICU facility during the event. The system will provide remote critical-care support and specialist expertise to patients in district hospitals in Latehar, Gumla, Khunti, Ranchi and Chatra, with specialists at RIMS monitoring patients continuously.
The tele-ICU model is intended to connect hospitals that may not have round-the-clock access to critical-care specialists with expertise available at the state’s largest government medical institution. The report did not specify the implementation schedule for the robotic surgery programme, the hospitals where machines will be installed first, or the budget allocated for the equipment and its operation.
Ansari also announced the Mukhyamantri Digital Health Yojana and said work was under way on a technology-based platform through which citizens could digitally share details of their health problems and receive medical guidance. Artificial intelligence has been identified as a key focus area for the state’s healthcare system.
Additional chief secretary for health Ajoy Kumar Singh said the department had introduced a digital Human Resource Information System, or HRIS, to maintain employee records from appointment to retirement. The system will track attendance, leave, absence, service-related details and payments.
The health department is also developing an AI-based system to manage and monitor around 80,000 sahiyas, medical staff, nurses and other healthcare personnel. The proposed system adds a workforce-management layer to the state’s digital-health programme, alongside clinical services such as tele-ICU care and the planned robotic surgery facilities.
The initiatives announced in Ranchi indicate that Jharkhand’s healthcare technology programme is being designed across three levels: advanced procedures in government hospitals, specialist support for remote facilities and digital monitoring of the health workforce. Details of procurement, training, maintenance and the rollout timetable for robotic surgery and the AI systems are yet to be announced.
