CM Vishnu Deo Sai inaugurates ‘Dev Hast’, the first robotic surgical system in a govt health institution in central India at AIIMS Raipur

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated ‘Dev Hast’, the first robotic surgical system in any government health institution in central India, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur. Speaking on the occasion, he said, “Robotic surgery is a new dimension in the development of healthcare facilities in Chhattisgarh. This historic moment will prove to be a milestone in providing advanced and quality treatment to the people of the state.”

Chief Minister Shri Sai personally performed the first dry lab dissection on ‘Dev Hast’, formally launching the system. He underlined that this is the first robotic surgical system to be installed in any government health institution in central India.

On the occasion, CM Sai also announced the construction of a fully equipped ‘Parijan Niwas’ at AIIMS Raipur to provide accommodation facilities for relatives of patients admitted from Chhattisgarh as well as other states.

Chief Minister Shri Sai said, “Doctors are considered a form of God on earth because they give us life. The robotic surgery system being launched today has been named ‘Dev Hast’. This system will benefit patients not only from Chhattisgarh but also from other states who seek treatment at AIIMS Raipur. AIIMS Raipur is continuously proving to be a milestone in providing excellent healthcare facilities.”

Recounting his association with AIIMS Raipur, CM said, “I have a special attachment with AIIMS Raipur. When the approval for its construction was granted, I was a Member of Parliament. We had requested then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to establish a branch of AIIMS in Chhattisgarh. It was essential to reduce the burden on the only AIIMS in Delhi and to provide advanced healthcare facilities to people in their own states. We are fortunate that among the six states approved for AIIMS, Chhattisgarh was also included.”

Announcing the Parijan Niwas, CM Sai said, “I fully understand how essential accommodation facilities are for relatives of patients who come from remote areas. When I was an MP, my residence in Delhi was called ‘Mini AIIMS’ because I arranged for patient relatives to stay there. This work of public service has always been close to my heart. During my parliamentary tenure from 2014 to 2019, I facilitated nearly ₹12 crore from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for patients. In Raipur too, at Kunkuri Sadan, I arranged for the stay of patients’ relatives, which benefits people not only from my constituency but from across the state.”

Highlighting healthcare expansion, the CM said that in the last 20 months since his government came to power, five new medical colleges have been approved, and continuous efforts are being made to strengthen healthcare infrastructure. He added that a 5,000-bed Medicity is under construction at Nava Raipur. When Chhattisgarh was formed, there was only one medical college; today, 15 medical colleges are operational across the state. He said that due to lifestyle and dietary changes, diseases like cancer are on the rise, and their treatment is expensive. “To address this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme, under which poor families are entitled to free treatment up to ₹5 lakh. Under the Vay Vandana Yojana, this facility has now been extended to all patients above 70 years of age,” he added.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said that while healthcare facilities are expanding, the scope of diseases is also increasing. “Robotic surgery holds special significance in modern medicine. It can multiply both the capacity and quality of healthcare services. Chhattisgarh will greatly benefit from the ‘Dev Hast’ robotic surgical system, and very soon, robotic surgery facilities will also be made available at Raipur’s Mekahara Hospital,” he stated.

On this occasion, CM Sai presented a cash prize of ₹5,000 to Ms. Jyotsna Kiradu, the winner of the naming competition for ‘Dev Hast’. The event was attended by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. Ashok Jindal, Director and CEO of AIIMS Raipur, Dr. Devjyoti Mohanty, Head of Department, medical students and a large number of dignitaries.