GPHC advances multi-specialty robotic surgeries 

Following the historic launch of robotic surgery in Guyana on May 26, 2026, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has successfully completed a landmark week of pioneering robotic surgical procedures from June 1 to June 5, 2026, further positioning Guyana as a regional leader in surgical innovation and advanced healthcare delivery.

The official launch of robotic surgery formed part of Guyana’s 60th Independence Anniversary celebrations and featured the world’s longest robotic telesurgery spanning across 20,000 kilometres using the SSI Mantra 3 Robotic Surgical System. The launch also included Guyana’s first robotic inguinal hernia repair, performed by Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran and GPHC’s local surgical team, who underwent specialized robotic surgery training in India. This was followed by a locally performed cardiac case led by Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, founder of the SSI Mantra robotic surgery system.

Building on this groundbreaking achievement, GPHC advanced its robotic surgery programme from June 1 to June 5, 2026, with General Surgery, Urology, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology successfully performing a series of first-of-its-kind procedures. Each procedure completed during the week represented a historic first for Guyana and the English-speaking Caribbean.

The Urology Department introduced the practice of robotic urology on Monday, June 1, 2026, under the guidance of Dr. Rajendra Sukhraj, Consultant Urologist. The two successful operations were renal cyst decortication and varicocelectomy. They constituted the achievement of a critical breakthrough in minimally invasive urology.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology introduced robotic gynaecology on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, as two operations were performed successfully. One was bilateral salpingectomy by Dr. Padmini Singh, while the other operation performed was ovarian cystectomy by Dr. Radha Sookraj. Such surgical techniques were a step forward in improving women’s health and offered minimally invasive options.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026, saw the introduction of general robotic surgery. Dr. Bibi Hussain performed the very first robotic surgery of Guyana in bariatrics. She performed a Single Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (SAGB). 

On Thursday, June 4, 2026, both the Gynaecology and General Surgery Departments made further progress in the implementation of robotic surgeries by carrying out several other procedures. Dr. Radha Sookraj carried out a bilateral salpingectomy while Dr. Padmini Singh performed a cystectomy on one of the ovaries. In addition, there was a robotic cholecystectomy carried out by Dr. Jagnanand Ramnarine. This procedure represented a further important milestone in developing the services of robotic general surgery at GPHC.

As part of the final day of the Robotic Surgery Week, Dr. Hemraj Ramcharran performed a robotic cholecystectomy and Dr. Jagnanand Ramnarine carried out an inguinal hernia repair procedure. It is worth noting that both operations contributed significantly to expanding the scope of activities of the existing robotic surgery program of GPHC.

The success of the robotic surgery programme was supported by the expertise of the Anaesthesia Department, including Dr. Arturo Marrero, Dr. Tiffany Fiedtkou, Dr. Fernando Ramirez, Dr. Liselotte Garcia, and Dr. Gisela Rodriguez.

An important factor in the success of this initiative was the strong performance of the operating theatre and biomedical support teams. Specific mention needs to be made of Devonna Bowman and Naomi Roopnarain, operating theatre assistants, who received special training in India before being able to support the surgeons during the procedures. 

The Biomedical Department staff members, namely Dervin Bennett and Imran Alli, who assisted in setting up the equipment for the SSI Mantra 3 Robotic Surgical System, also deserve recognition for their contributions towards ensuring the success of the platform’s deployment during the week. All surgical operations that took place during the week were supervised by visiting General Surgeon Dr. Pedro Luis Maldonado from Ecuador. Assistance in technical and clinical matters was rendered by SSI representatives, namely Mr. Shivam Bhat and Mr. Mohit Tripathi, who worked hand in hand with the GPHC teams.

In less than two weeks since its official launch, GPHC has managed to incorporate robotic surgery in the departments of Urology, Gynaecology, Bariatric Surgery, and General Surgery. Such achievements make Guyana the pioneer of a multi-speciality robotic surgery program among the countries of the English-speaking Caribbean based on the SSI Mantra 3 Robotic Surgical System. Multidisciplinary collaboration was key to the success of these robotic surgeries (GPHC press release)                                                   

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