Qatar looking to become medical robotics hub

ROBOTIC HUB: QSTP said it was training six doctors for its new medical robotics facility. (Supplied)

Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) said on Monday six doctors are receiving training for its new medical robotics facility as part of a push to turn Qatar into a regional centre for robotics surgery.

QSTP said five doctors from Hamad Medical Corp. (HMC), Qatar’s largest public hospital, and one from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar were being trained to teach at QSTP and perform surgeries at HMC.

The park said the doctors were being trained at Imperial College London, which has partnering with QSTP to set up the Qatar Robotics Surgery Centre.

HMC said it planned to start robot assisted surgery early next year.

“The robotic surgery centre is an ambitious but achievable project that will make Qatar a global medical innovator while delivering real health benefits for the local community,” said Dr Tidu Maini, executive chairman of QSTP.

QSTP said the centre would work on joint research with robot manufacturers and surgery centres globally, including Imperial College.

In addition, the facility will enable local surgeons to develop new clinical procedures, QSTP said.

Opening at QSTP in the second half of 2009, the centre will be equipped with three Da Vinci brand medical robots, a simulation operating theatre and a tele-mentoring suite, it said.

Eighty students and 50 surgeons from the region will be trained annually and the same number from overseas, it added.

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