The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez MP, hosted a press conference earlier today to announce the official commencement of the Gibraltar Health Authority’s programme of robotic assisted surgery, marking a major milestone in the evolution of surgical care in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Health Authority has formally introduced robotic assisted surgery at St Bernard’s Hospital following a groundbreaking collaboration with leading international medical technology developer MicroPort and charity partners Kusuma Trust and Prostate Cancer Gibraltar, whose generous donations helped fund the procurement and implementation of an advanced surgical robotic system and associated ancillary equipment.
Over recent weeks, the GHA’s surgical teams have already successfully undertaken the first local robotic surgery cases, in the purpose built Kusuma Robotic Surgery Suite, which have focused on General Surgery cases, demonstrating the immediate impact and clinical benefit of this state-ofthe-art technology for patients in Gibraltar, with a view to expanding its use for more complex cases in Urology, Colorectal, Upper Gastrointestinal and Gynaecology specialties.
The robotic system - designed for both conventional robotic procedures and with tele-surgery capabilities - forms part of a comprehensive, phased training pathway developed in conjunction with international partners to ensure safe, high-quality implementation of cutting-edge surgical technology, with the telesurgery functionality to be activated in a later phase.
Robotic-assisted surgery - which enables a surgeon to control instruments with more precision and flexibility - has been widely adopted across the world for nearly two decades, particularly for complex operations. Advances in technology have rapidly expanded its use across a broad range of surgical specialties. The system’s enhanced visualisation, high-resolution magnification, and articulated “robotic wrists” deliver superior control and access in confined anatomical spaces, significantly benefiting both patients and surgical teams.
GHA Acting Director General, Lysandra Debono, said: “We are hugely proud to see robotic surgery now taking place here in Gibraltar. This extraordinary technology brings real, tangible benefits to our patients and represents a major leap forward for our clinical teams. My sincere thanks go to MicroPort, and our dedicated staff, whose leadership and collaboration have been instrumental in making this possible.”
The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, added: “This is exactly what we want to see in the Gibraltar Health Authority. It is a clear signal of the direction of travel for our health service. One that is modern, ambitious and focused on delivering better care for patients here in Gibraltar. I want to thank the GHA’s clinical and managerial teams and the local charities whose generous donations have helped make this possible. The introduction of robotic surgery marks the beginning of the future of the GHA, built on investment in our people, our facilities and the highest standards of clinical practice.
“With robotic procedures now underway and further expansion planned throughout 2026, the GHA’s robotic-assisted surgery programme positions Gibraltar at the forefront of modern surgical care, offering patients access to advanced treatment options previously available only in major international centres.”
