Tanda Medical College Becomes State’s Second Hospital with Robotic Surgery Unit

Chief Minister Inaugurates Unit Virtually; ₹30 Crore Approved for PET-CT Scan Machine

Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu virtually inaugurated a state-of-the-art robotic surgery unit at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra district, today. After Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) and Chamyana Hospital in Shimla, Tanda Medical College is now the state’s second hospital equipped with this advanced surgical technology. The new facility is expected to benefit residents of Kangra as well as neighboring districts such as Chamba, Hamirpur, parts of Mandi, and Una.

This marks a significant upgrade in healthcare services at Tanda Medical College, which has been serving the region since its establishment in 1996. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Health Minister Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, AYUSH Minister Yadvinder Goma, local MLA and HP Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Raghubir Singh Bali, and MLAs Bhawani Pathania, Kishori Lal, and Ashish Butail.

The Chief Minister emphasized the state’s commitment to advancing healthcare and approved ₹30 crore for the procurement of a PET-CT scan machine. He highlighted the importance of cutting-edge diagnostic tools such as digital subtraction angiography, which provides highly accurate imaging of blood vessels, saying such advancements would greatly enhance diagnosis and treatment.

Sukhu also announced plans to establish a 24-hour emergency department at Tanda and assured that staffing shortages would be addressed by recruiting more specialist doctors and at least 150 nursing staff. “With these facilities, Tanda Medical College will match the standards of AIIMS Bilaspur and, within a year, will be ranked among the country’s best medical institutions,” he said.

The Chief Minister noted that these developments would particularly benefit the poor and underserved populations in Kangra and surrounding districts by providing access to advanced medical care close to home. He urged journalists and elected representatives to visit the hospital and witness the transformation firsthand.

The ceremony saw the presence of specialists from Fortis, Mohali, including Dr. Dharmendra Aggarwal, along with the hospital’s Urology Department doctors—Dr. Angesh Thakur, Dr. Kulbhushan Sharma, and Dr. Bharti Gupta. Also present were Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa, Superintendent of Police Kangra, Principal Dr. Milap Sharma, Medical Superintendent Dr. Vivek Banyal, and Retired Additional Director Major Dr. Avneendra Kumar Sharma, who played a key role in realizing the robotic surgery unit.