{
  "id": 10949677,
  "title": "Jinnah Hospital to Reserve Free Robotic Surgery for Complex Operations",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/jinnah-hospital-to-reserve-free-robotic-surgery-for-complex-operations",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-30T13:07:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ProPakistani",
    "slug": "propakistani",
    "url": "https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/30/jinnah-hospital-to-reserve-free-robotic-surgery-for-complex-operations/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) in Karachi recently announced that it will reserve robot-assisted surgery for complex operations, including cancer treatments, at no cost to patients. Since launching the programme in October 2023, JPMC has performed over 1,500 robotic procedures, with the Sindh government covering the expenses for patients. The hospital's Versius system enables surgeons to conduct minimally invasive operations from a console, including colorectal and various cancer surgeries.\n\nDr Syed Muhammad Shafqatullah, an associate professor at JPMC, explained that the hospital decided to focus on complex cases due to criticism over using the technology for routine procedures. He pointed out that the robot's greater range of movement is particularly beneficial for intricate surgeries in hard-to-reach areas, such as some colorectal cancer operations. The shift to complex cases does not, however, guarantee better results than conventional laparoscopy. JPMC has not provided a breakdown of the 1,500 procedures by type, cost, or patient outcomes.\n\nSimilar initiatives in Sindh, such as the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, also offer free robotic surgery. Dr Shafqatullah stressed the importance of using public funds appropriately, stating that \"this is a government-sector hospital. This is taxpayers' money, so ultimately we have to use it appropriately.\" The hospital's focus on complex cases might not necessarily translate into improved value for public money, as there is a lack of actual costs and comparative patient outcomes to assess the impact of this approach.",
  "summary": "Patients at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center in Karachi can receive robot-assisted surgery, including complex cancer operations, free of charge. Nearly … Read More The post Jinnah Hospital to Reserve Free Robotic Surgery for Complex Operations appeared first on ProPakistani .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}