Da Vinci surgical robot marks shift in Africa medtech to pay-per-use equipment model

A state-of-the-art Da Vinci surgical robot has been installed at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, paving way for access to cutting-edge medical technology in Africa without the burden of heavy capital investments. The surgical robot at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital is the company’s first installation in the country, with further installations planned in the coming months. EASE also intends to expand to a further ten African countries within five years, bringing the latest medical innovations to 3 million patients.

The 40 million-rand (US$2.2 million) robot equips surgeons with superior vision, precision and ergonomic comfort to perform complex minimally invasive procedures with reduced pain, blood loss and recovery time. The surgical robot is a first for the Kwazulu Natal region. It also marks a first for South Africa in terms of medical technology installed without any upfront payment through an innovative pay-per-use equipment-as-a-service model introduced by EASE.

Busamed’s new robot will be used primarily by urologists and gynaecologists for routine minimally invasive surgeries, resulting in a shorter length of stay in the hospital, less wound access trauma, and a reduction in post-operative wound complications for patients. The reduction in post-operative care creates a further cost-savings opportunity for the hospital.

The pay-per-use model offers health facilities the chance to leapfrog technology while freeing up capital for other critical areas of patient care. EASE is providing a critical alternative to purchasing, and owning, medical equipment outright, be it with or without financing. As the demand for advanced diagnostic equipment is very significant, healthcare organisations can develop projections around generating patient volume within a sustainable business model that replaces large capital expenditure on machines with more flexible operational expenses.

The partnership with Busamed Hospital Group represents a portfolio expansion for EASE into robotic surgical technologies, continuing the group’s commitment to facilitating access to economically and environmentally sustainable technologies. The EASE portfolio also includes diagnostic radiology machines, namely MRI and CT scanners and nuclear medicine equipment.