Raipur, September 06, 2025 / Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated the first robotic surgical system of government health institutions in Central India, named ‘Dev Hast’, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur, located in Tatibandh, Raipur. On this occasion, he said, “Robotic surgery is a new dimension in the development of healthcare facilities in Chhattisgarh. This historic moment will prove to be a milestone in providing the people of the state with advanced and better treatment.”
Chief Minister Sai himself performed the first dry lab dissection on ‘Dev Hast’ to formally launch this state-of-the-art technology. This is the first robotic surgical system to be installed in any government health institution of Central India.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister also announced the construction of a fully-equipped relatives’ residence at AIIMS Raipur for attendants of patients admitted not only from Chhattisgarh but also from other states. He said, “Doctors are considered the embodiment of God on earth because they give us life. The robotic surgery system being inaugurated today has been named ‘Dev Hast’. Its benefits will reach not only Chhattisgarh but also patients from other states who come to AIIMS Raipur. AIIMS Raipur continues to set milestones in delivering world-class healthcare facilities.”
Chief Minister Sai shared his special bond with AIIMS Raipur, recalling, “When the approval for AIIMS Raipur was granted, I was a Member of Parliament and had requested Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to establish a branch of AIIMS in Chhattisgarh. This was essential to reduce the burden on the only AIIMS in Delhi and to ensure that people from other states also received top-quality healthcare within their own states. It is our good fortune that Chhattisgarh was among the six states selected to establish new AIIMS institutions.”
Highlighting the importance of facilities for attendants, he said, “I fully understand the necessity of accommodation for attendants of patients coming from distant places. During my tenure as MP, my residence in Delhi was called ‘Mini AIIMS’ because I made arrangements for the stay of patients’ attendants there. Public service of this kind has always been very close to my heart. Between 2014 and 2019, I facilitated financial assistance of about ₹12 crore to patients from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. In Raipur too, accommodation facilities have been arranged at Kunkuri Sadan for patients’ attendants, which is benefitting people across the state.”
The Chief Minister further said that in the last 20 months since the formation of the government, approval has been granted for five new medical colleges and continuous efforts are being made to expand healthcare facilities. A 5,000-bed capacity Medicity is being built in Nava Raipur. At the time of the formation of the state, there was only one medical college, whereas today 15 medical colleges are operational in the state. He added that due to lifestyle and dietary changes, the prevalence of serious diseases like cancer has increased, and their treatment is also costly. This is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, under which free treatment up to ₹5 lakh is provided to the economically weaker sections. Now, under the Vaya Vandana Yojana, this facility is also being extended to patients of all categories above the age of 70 years.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said that while healthcare facilities are expanding with time, the scope of diseases is also increasing. He stated, “In modern medical science, robotic surgery holds special importance. It can enhance surgical efficiency and quality many times over. Chhattisgarh will greatly benefit from the ‘Dev Hast’ robotic surgical system, and soon, robotic surgery facilities will also be available at Raipur’s Mekahara Hospital.”
On this occasion, Chief Minister Sai presented a prize of ₹5,000 to Jyotsna Kiradu, the winner of the competition held for naming ‘Dev Hast’. The program was attended by AIIMS Raipur Director and CEO Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. Ashok Jindal, Head of Department Dr. Devjyoti Mohanty, a large number of medical students, and other dignitaries.
