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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and MLA Vipin Singh Parmar on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Himachal Pradesh government over the introduction of robotic surgery facilities, alleging that the move prioritises high-end technology over strengthening basic healthcare infrastructure.
Speaking to ANI after raising the issue in the Assembly, Parmar said the state's health system is already under severe strain, with a shortage of essential staff and facilities across medical institutions. "I have been consistently raising the issue of robotic surgery, but the reality is that health institutions in Himachal Pradesh lack basic infrastructure. In many hospitals, there are operating theatres and surgeons, but no anaesthesiologists, no radiologists, and no trained assistants. The system is in a sick condition," Parmar said. He further alleged that there have been no regular recruitments of staff nurses in the past three years, while lab technicians and nurses are being engaged through outsourcing. He also claimed that essential medicines are not available consistently and that drug samples have repeatedly failed quality tests in the state. Raising serious concerns, Parmar said testing laboratories have failed to clear samples from 2023 to 2025, questioning the effectiveness of systems set up with significant public investment. "Even after spending crores on testing infrastructure, only a handful of samples have been examined, while huge payments are being made," he added. Targeting the government's focus on robotic surgery, Parmar said the facility would not benefit the poor due to its high cost. "A robotic surgery costs around 1-1.5 lakh, while laparoscopic procedures can be done at 20,000-25,000. There is no policy to ensure that people under HIMCARE or Ayushman schemes benefit from this technology," he said. He also questioned the procurement of expensive imported systems such as the Da Vinci robot, reportedly costing around 28 crore, when comparatively cheaper Indian alternatives like the 'Mantra' system are available at 5-7 crore and are already being used in several institutions. "There is a significant difference in rates. Why was a costlier option chosen? People of Himachal Pradesh have not given the government the right to waste public money," Parmar said, hinting at possible irregularities and adding that "there is a smell of corruption" in the process. The BJP leader further alleged that the state's health budget has been reduced and accused the government of ignoring critical areas such as non-communicable diseases while focusing on expensive technologies. Parmar maintained that unless a clear policy is framed to include beneficiaries of schemes like Himcare and Ayushman Bharat, robotic surgery would remain out of reach for the common people. (ANI)
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