
Morocco has completed its first year of robotic surgery, with the Oncorad Group describing the achievement as transformative for the national healthcare system.
The group carried out its inaugural robotic procedure on 27 May 2024. Since then, surgeons have performed 178 procedures with the technology, mainly in urology, including more than 100 prostate cancer surgeries.
In November, Dr Youness Ahallal made headlines by conducting a remote operation on a patient in Shanghai, setting a world record for the longest-distance telesurgery at 12,000 kilometres. A second remote procedure was later completed between Casablanca and Tangier.
Morocco Joins Global Pioneers in Robotic Surgery Within a Year
Reflecting on the milestone, he noted that in just one year Morocco had joined the ranks of global leaders in robotic surgery — a field once dominated by major technological powers.
Established in 2000, Oncorad operates facilities in Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier. The group has built a reputation for investing in advanced medical technologies, including AI-supported imaging and precision radiotherapy. It now plans to widen access to robotic surgery nationwide and position Morocco as a regional centre for medical innovation.
Elsewhere in the country, robotic surgery capabilities are still developing but gaining momentum. A public hospital in Agadir has introduced South Korea’s Revo-I system, while Casablanca’s private AKDITAL network operates several Da Vinci Xi robots. These systems enable minimally invasive procedures in fields such as urology, digestive surgery, gynaecology and ENT.
Expanding access through funding reform and nationwide hospital rollout
Given the high costs associated with robotic surgery, officials are exploring reimbursement strategies as part of a broader rollout. The health ministry intends to install robotic systems in each major university hospital, seeing remote surgery as a potential breakthrough for rural healthcare delivery.
In May 2025, a patient in Laâyoune underwent surgery performed remotely by a specialist in Casablanca, strengthening expectations of improved access for underserved regions.
Training has become a key priority. Early procedures were supported by international and diaspora experts, but Moroccan teams are quickly gaining expertise, with local surgeons expected to lead independently in the near future.
Through collaboration between government, private providers and medical institutions, Morocco aims to make robotic surgery commonplace by 2030 — a move that could establish the country as a leading surgical innovation hub in the region.
Read the original article on:Surgery.international
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