Maharashtra Govt Plans Hub & Spoke Robotic Stroke Care Network for Rural Areas
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Under the proposed initiative, Mumbai’s KEM Hospital will serve as the central robotic control hub, while district and taluka hospitals will function as spoke centers equipped with robotic systems.
In a move to strengthen emergency healthcare in rural areas, the Maharashtra health department plans to introduce a “Remote Robotic Neurointervention” project aimed at improving access to timely treatment for stroke patients across the state.
The initiative was discussed in a recent meeting chaired by Maharashtra’s Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar at the Directorate of Health Services.
During the meeting, Prakash Abitkar directed officials to prepare a proposal for launching a “Remote Robotic Neurointervention” project for stroke patients.
Sharing details of the initiative in a social media post, the health minister said, “In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of stroke (paralysis) patients. It is extremely important for such patients to receive treatment within the ‘Golden Hour.’ If expert doctors and modern facilities are not available in time, the risk of permanent paralysis increases for the patient. “
He noted, “Taking this situation into account, there is an intention to provide advanced 'Remote Robotic Neurointervention' treatment facilities at the local level itself in taluka and district-level government hospitals. “
The initiative aims to address the shortage of neurologists and advanced stroke-care infrastructure in rural Maharashtra by providing advanced treatment to patients within the crucial “golden hour,” especially in rural and remote regions where specialist doctors and modern medical facilities are often unavailable.
The project will include a hub-and-spoke healthcare model designed to enable specialists based at tertiary care centres to remotely guide or assist stroke-related neurointervention procedures for patients located at peripheral healthcare facilities.
Under the proposed initiative, KEM Hospital will serve as the central robotic control hub, while district and taluka hospitals will function as spoke centers equipped with robotic systems.
Through telecommunication and advanced robotic system networks, specialist doctors in Kem Hospital will remotely guide local medical teams in performing stroke intervention procedures.
The Health Minister further shared, “ A trial of robotic technology-based treatment for stroke patients was conducted at KEM Hospital in Mumbai in 2020. Under the guidance of Senior Hybrid Neurosurgeon Dr. Nitin Dange and expert doctors at this hospital, discussions are underway to make this facility available in rural areas. Once this plan is implemented, rural patients will be provided with ‘Remote Robotic Neurointervention’ services through the ‘Hub and Spoke’ system.”
This system is expected to reduce treatment delays and improve survival rates, particularly for time-sensitive stroke cases.
Reportedly, the state health department plans to set up cath labs at 11 locations across Maharashtra, with five of these centres likely to be selected for the pilot phase of the project.
The network may later be expanded depending on the outcome of the initial implementation.
Further, the health department also stated that the required infrastructure is already available with the Public Health Department, with additional investment mainly needed for robotic equipment.
The project is also expected to integrate telemedicine platforms such as eSanjeevani for smoother implementation to support coordination and remote specialists across rural regions of Maharashtra.
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