For its "baptism of fire" in Morocco, the Toumai robot was used in seven surgical operations at the Littoral clinic in Casablanca, at the initiative of the Oncorad group. Legal aspects, balance, costs, and prospects of this unprecedented surgical practice in the kingdom.

With its imposing structure and its four arms, each equipped with a miniaturized clamp at its end, Toumai presides over life-size posters at the entrance of the conference room where it is the star of the day. Many surgeons, officials from various mutual organs, and journalists, among others, attended on Wednesday, July 5, 2024, to meet this robot from the Chinese manufacturer Medbot. Some of those who know it intimately, having already used it, take the podium.

In introducing them, Dr. Redouane Samlali declares: "We announce today a milestone, that of having inaugurated the era of robotic surgery in Morocco and the rest of Africa, outside of South Africa

To break the ice, the CEO of Oncorad, a group that owns two clinics in Casablanca and another two, one in Marrakech and one in Tangier, recounts eating a tagine in a Moroccan restaurant in China, along with members of his medical and technical staff who were on a trip to finalize the acquisition of Toumai. He revealed that this acquisition occurred after delays from a competing robot manufacturer.

When addressing the main topic, Dr. Samlali emphasizes that May 29, 2024, marks a historic date with the first use of the Toumai robot at the Littoral clinic in Casablanca. Since then, a total of seven surgical operations (up to June 5) have been successfully performed, including one on rectal cancer, in this clinic using this robot by experienced professionals or under their supervision by surgeons they have trained, details the CEO of the Oncorad group. All have been duly authorized by the relevant services of the Ministry of Health, as explained by Dr. Redouane Samlali during the conference, responding to questions from L'Observateur du Maroc. Cost of the operation for each patient: 80,000 DH. At this price, 14,000 is for consumables which are the responsibility of the patient and each consumable currently guarantees only 10 operations. Dr. Samlali specifies that the robot costs 40 million dirhams. "The more the number of robotic surgical operations increases, the less they will cost," he asserts, pointing out that the Oncorad group aims for 150 operations of this type per year. He adds, "It is also important to note that the robot allows for a 30% reduction in recovery time and a 25% decrease in postoperative complication risks

Working in Nice, France, Moroccan urologist Dr. Younes Ahallal, presented at the conference in his role as an expert in robotic surgery, emphasized that Toumai, which he has used at the Littoral clinic, has nothing to envy to its American counterpart Da Vinci, which he is accustomed to using in France. "I was impressed by the quality of the immersive 3D image it offers," he says, praising the precision of the device, which, according to him, requires an incision of a few millimeters to reach the infected organ targeted directly even in the most difficult-to-access parts of the body.

It's a valuable advancement of which Morocco can be proud as a pioneer in its region," said Dr. Muneer Deeb. For this head of the general and visceral surgery department at the Ammerland clinic in Germany, the benefits offered by Toumai are evident for both surgeons and patients. Like this doctor, Dr. Stefano Gidaro also contributed to the launch of Toumai in Morocco. This Italian surgeon specialized in urology and robotic surgery, who is also a researcher in the Department of Medical, Oral, and Biotechnological Sciences at the "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara in Italy, shares the same view. He believes that robotic surgery has a promising future.

However, it is necessary for this practice to be covered in Morocco by the bodies providing medical coverage to public and private enterprises seeking to expand the range of care to their members. A representative from the RAM mutual fund was present and spoke up to immediately urge some of the representatives of these bodies who were part of the audience to take quick action on this matter.

Dr. Samlali, who is also president of the National Association of Private Clinics (ANCP), is confident that the future Health Authority (HAS) will promote not only the new form of surgery launched by Oncorad but also other innovations offered by telemedicine.

In France, for example, where coverage of robotic surgery is guaranteed, the country already had a total of 154 robots for surgery in 2020, including 154 Da Vinci robots. The same one that the Akdital group announced having acquired last April and is awaiting authorization to enter service. Meanwhile, the CEO of Oncorad ensures that the demand from patients for robotic surgery is such that the Littoral clinic is already "fully booked".

The source of the article is l'observateur