A kidney cancer patient in Abuja has undergone an operation performed remotely by a specialist using robotic technology, in what has been described as Nigeria’s first tele-robotic surgery.
The procedure was carried out on Saturday through a partnership between Redeemer’s Health Village (RHV), RoboMed Global and Nisa Premier Hospital.
From RHV in Ogun State, Prof. Obi Ekwenna-Davis operated a Toumai robotic console to perform the surgery on a patient at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja.
The operation involved a robot-assisted radical nephrectomy, a procedure in which a kidney affected by a cancerous tumour is removed.
Ekwenna-Davis, a professor of urology and transplantation and co-founder of RoboMed Global, said the procedure demonstrated how remote surgery could link patients to specialist doctors regardless of distance.
“Distance should never decide who receives safe surgery; this is what safe and trusted surgery looks like,” he said.
The operation lasted about three hours, with brief interruptions to check that the robotic equipment and other systems were working properly. The patient was reportedly in good condition and expected to be discharged within 24 hours.
RHV CEO, Adedamola Dada, described the development as West Africa’s first telesurgery and said it could help reduce the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for advanced medical treatment.
“What has happened today is a demonstration that Nigerians can access modern healthcare without travelling abroad,” Dada said.
Dada also announced plans by RHV and RoboMed Global to establish a robotic surgery academy to train surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and other healthcare professionals.
The academy is expected to train at least 150 surgeons within two years. Dada also urged the government to sponsor Nigerians for specialised training in robotic surgery.
Ibrahim Wada, CEO of Nisa Premier Hospital, said the procedure demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration between healthcare institutions.
“Today, our patient received specialist surgical expertise from across the country without leaving Abuja,” Wada said.
