Kelina hospital records 50 robotic prostate cancer surgeries

Kelina Hospital has performed more than 50 robotic-assisted prostate cancer surgeries, highlighting growing local capacity for advanced surgical care and efforts to reduce Nigerians’ reliance on medical treatment abroad.

The hospital disclosed this in Lagos while marking the first anniversary of its robotic surgery programme, which began in September 2025, saying a team of Nigerian surgeons based in the country had been performing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy regularly since June 2026.

President of Kelina Hospital, Dr Celsus Ukelina Undie, said robotic surgery offers surgeons enhanced three-dimensional vision, greater precision and instruments designed to minimise hand tremors, potentially reducing blood loss and supporting faster recovery in suitable patients.

He, however, identified the high cost of equipment, the demands of specialist training and the limited availability of skilled personnel as challenges to expanding access to the technology.

Undie called for government support and affordable financing to enable more hospitals to invest in advanced surgical equipment, stating that robotic procedures abroad could cost between $15,000 and $20,000 and an improved local capacity could help retain healthcare spending in Nigeria.

Chief Medical Director of Kelina Hospital, Lagos, Dr Ibukun Adeyinka, said the hospital performed 212 prostate surgeries in 2025 using different techniques, including robotic surgery, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP).

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He added that the hospital had performed more than 800 HoLEP procedures since introducing the technique in 2018.

Adeyinka also highlighted a complex kidney cancer operation in which surgeons removed the affected portion of a patient’s only remaining kidney while preserving some kidney function and helping the patient avoid lifelong dialysis.

Chairman of the hospital’s Board of Directors, Dr Ifeanyi Anago, described the robotic surgery programme as a significant step towards improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians at home and abroad to support local healthcare institutions capable of providing specialised services, saying greater access to advanced treatment within the country could reduce medical tourism.

Chief Medical Director of Kelina Hospital, Abuja, Dr Kelechi Nedosa, recalled the hospital’s role in introducing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in Nigeria in 2012, when visiting international urologist Dr Mahesh Desai performed the procedure and provided training.

The hospital also highlighted its work in minimally invasive kidney stone treatment and other complex surgical procedures.

Company Secretary and Head of Corporate Governance, Dr Doose Doo, said Kelina had performed more than 7,000 surgeries since commencing operations in 2008.

The anniversary event featured testimonies from patients who had undergone surgery at the hospital. Joseph Ogar, who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in 2012, said he had remained well after the operation and continued to attend regular medical check-ups.

Another patient, Temilola Oke, recounted travelling from Lagos to Abuja for treatment before undergoing corrective kidney surgery in 2018. She said she had continued to do well following the procedure.

Kelina Hospital operates in Lagos and Abuja, offering services across urology, obstetrics and gynaecology, cardiology, nephrology, paediatrics, ear, nose and throat surgery, family medicine and general surgery.

The hospital’s management said expanding access to advanced surgical procedures would require sustained investment in equipment, specialist training and clinical services, with the long-term goal of enabling more Nigerians to obtain specialised treatment locally.