Tanda medical college second hospital in state to have robotic surgery unit

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today virtually inaugurated a state-of-the-art robotic surgery unit at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College at Tanda in Kangra district. It is the second hospital in the state after the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Hospital at Chamiyana in Shimla to offer this advanced surgical technology. It would benefit the people of Kangra and its surrounding districts of Chamba, Hamirpur and parts of Mandi and Una districts.

It is major upgrade of medical facilities at the Tanda medical college that had been serving the people of the region since its establishment in 1996. Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Ayush Minister Yadwinder Goma, local MLA and HPTDC Chairman Raghubir Singh Bali and MLAs Bhawani Pathania, Kishori Lal and Ashish Butail attended the inauguration ceremony.

The Chief Minister stressed the state’s commitment to developing modern healthcare and sanctioned Rs 30 crore for a PET-CT Scan machine at the hospital. He emphasised the need for Digital Subtraction Angiography, a cutting-edge X-ray technique used for precise imaging of blood vessels, and said that such advancements would significantly improve diagnosis and treatment.

He said that there were plans for a 24x7 Emergency Department and the appointment of more specialised doctors and at least 150 nursing staff would be recruited at the Tanda hospital to ensure there was no shortage of medical staff. “With these additions, the Tanda hospital will be equivalent in facilities to AIIMS, Bilaspur, finding place among the best medical colleges in the country within a year,” he claimed.

Sukhu said that these developments would especially benefit the poor and the needy in Kangra and nearby districts by providing high-end healthcare close to their homes. He urged journalists and public representatives to witness firsthand the transformation taking place at the Tanda hospital. Dr Angesh Thakur and Dr Kulbhushan Sharma from the Urology Department of the hospital along with Dr Bharti Gupta stood with Dr Dharmender Aggarwal, an expert from Fortis, Mohali, who was specially invited to the inaugural function.

Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, Kangra SP, Principal of the hospital Dr Milap Sharma, Medical Superintendent Dr Vivek Banyal and Additional Director Major Dr Avnindra Kumar Sharma (retd), who played a key role in bringing the Robotic Surgery Unit to fruition, were present on the occasion.