A patient undergoing prostate cancer surgery in Casablanca two years ago became part of a medical first for Morocco.
On 27 May 2024, doctors at the Littoral Clinic Ain Diab carried out the country’s first robotic surgery, using advanced technology to remove a patient’s prostate with greater precision and smaller incisions.
Two years later, healthcare group Oncorad says it has performed more than 450 robotic operations, making it one of the busiest centres for robotic surgery in Africa.
Most of the procedures were in urology, which accounted for more than 80% of cases. The majority of those involved prostate cancer surgery. Digestive and gynaecological operations made up the rest.
The first operation was led by urologist, andrologist and oncologist Dr Youness Ahallal and marked the start of robotic surgery in Morocco.
Since then, Oncorad says it has achieved several milestones, including Morocco’s first robotic thoracic and digestive surgeries. The group has also carried out Africa’s first and largest series of robotic bladder removal operations and remains the only centre on the continent performing robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.
Oncorad has also built what it describes as the world’s first inter-hospital telesurgery network outside China, allowing connections between Casablanca, Shanghai and Tangier. It has also launched a virtual reality robotic surgery space in the metaverse.
To expand access to the technology, Oncorad recently installed a second surgical robot in Tangier. The system allows experienced surgeons to guide and train doctors remotely through a connected dual console.
“Oncorad Group is today the pioneer and leader of robotic surgery in Africa,” said Professor Redouane Samlali, chief executive of the group.
“Our ambition is clear: make Morocco a continental reference in surgical innovation and allow every Moroccan to access the medicine of tomorrow, regardless of where they live.”
Founded in 2000 by Professor Redouane Samlali and Dr Omar Hajji, Oncorad began as a cancer care provider before expanding into other medical specialties.
Today, the group offers services including medical imaging, cancer treatment, radiotherapy, neonatal intensive care, nuclear medicine and robotic surgery across Morocco.
