Nigeria has recorded its first tele-robotic surgery after a surgeon remotely operated on a patient in Abuja from Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV) in Ogun State.
The procedure, performed on September 19 by RHV in collaboration with RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital, involved a robot-assisted right radical nephrectomy to remove a cancerous kidney tumour.
Professor Obi Ekwenna-Davis, a professor of urology and transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, performed the surgery using a Toumai robotic console at RHV, while the patient remained at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
Tele-robotic surgery allows surgeons to operate on patients from another location through robotic systems and real-time data transmission.
RHV board chairman Dr Kunle Onakoya stressed that the robot does not operate independently, but magnifies the movements and skills of a trained surgeon. He said the technology could allow for more precise surgical movements and potentially reduce blood loss and recovery time in appropriate procedures.
RHV CEO Dr Adedamola Dada said reliable telecommunications infrastructure and training would be critical to expanding the technology in Nigeria. The procedure used Starlink connectivity with MTN as backup.
RHV is a 300-bed multispecialty hospital established by the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
