Bandung, IndonesiaSentinel.com — Successfully completing its first long distance surgery, Indonesia has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in medical technology, showing that the country’s medical capabilities are on par with its regional neighbors. This marks the first time a long distance surgery using telerobotic technology has been performed in Indonesia, where the operator was in Bali, while the patient was in Jakarta.
Telerobotic surgery is a method of performing surgical procedures remotely using robotic technology and wireless networks. This technique allows surgeons to operate on patients in real-time from a distant location. On Friday (August 30), urology specialists successfully conducted a live telerobotic surgery from I.G.N.G Ngoerah Hospital in Bali on a patient located at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta, with a distance of approximately 1,200 kilometers.
Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, praised the achievement and urged widespread dissemination of information regarding this technological advancement in the country’s healthcare sector.
“Please spread the word that Indonesia’s technology is advancing. We can perform telerobotic surgery, which will advance Indonesia’s healthcare technology,” Minister Budi stated in an official release on Saturday (August 31, 2024).
Budi expressed confidence in the capabilities of Indonesian doctors and committed to supporting the availability of necessary equipment. He hopes this will attract more foreign nationals to seek treatment at RSCM.
“I set a target for RSCM. Don’t be proud if only Indonesians come. Be proud when patients from Malaysia and Singapore come to Indonesia because our services are affordable, fast, and of high quality,” Budi emphasized.
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This momentum represents a significant step forward in Indonesia’s healthcare technology, aligning with the country’s six pillars of health transformation by promoting technological advancements and human resource development. Thus expecting this telerobotic surgery to be able to tackle various challenges in the surgical field that have persisted for years.
“As part of RSCM’s commitment, we always try to provide the best for our patients to improve their quality of life. One concrete example is introducing the latest technology, such as telerobotic surgery, which can accelerate patient recovery. We hope this technology will soon be applied to ensure equitable healthcare across Indonesia,” said RSCM President Director Dr. Supriyanto Sp. B, FINACS, M.Kes.
Dr. I Wayan Sudana, M.Kes, President Director of I.G.N.G Ngoerah Hospital, expressed his pride and commitment in providing the latest medical technologies, including this telerobotic surgery.
“We are proud to be part of the first telerobotic surgery carried out independently in Indonesia. We are also ready to become a healthcare service center, particularly in the field of urology, in Eastern Indonesia. We will continue to adapt to the latest technologies in the future,” Wayan stated.
Prof. Dr. Ponco Birowo, SpU (K-Andro), Ph.D., Chairman of the UAA Congress 2024, explained that while robotic technology has been used in two previous surgeries at RSCM Kencana, this was the first long-distance operation where the operator was at I.G.N.G Ngoerah Hospital Bali and the patient at RSCM Jakarta.
He added that before performing the telerobotic surgery on a patient, urology experts conducted simulations using mannequins to ensure patient safety. “Of course, in our preparations, we also anticipated any unexpected events, including the possibility of converting the procedure from telerobotic to laparoscopic. Our primary focus is patient safety,” Ponco added.
The introduction of telerobotic technology is expected to overcome various challenges in Indonesia, particularly geographical barriers, ensuring that healthcare services can be delivered equitably to remote and hard to access areas.
