In a historic milestone for Brazil’s public health system, the Ministry of Health oversaw the country’s first long-distance robotic oncological tele-surgery on Tuesday, connecting medical teams separated by approximately 2,700 kilometers. The procedure linked the Hospital do Amor Amazônia in Porto Velho (Rondônia) with the Hospital de Amor in Barretos (São Paulo), demonstrating a breakthrough in the capacity of the Unified Health System (SUS) to deliver cutting-edge care to remote regions.
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha attended the event from Brasília, alongside Communications Minister Frederico de Siqueira Filho and Ana Estela Haddad, Secretary of Information and Digital Health at the Ministry of Health, who observed the operation现场 in Barretos.
A Patient in Porto Velho, Expertise from Barretos
The surgery targeted a patient diagnosed with malignant rectal neoplasm. The Porto Velho team handled all on-site responsibilities — positioning the patient, setting up the robotic arms, and providing direct surgical assistance in the operating room. Meanwhile, specialists in Barretos monitored the procedure in real time and, when necessary, assumed remote control of the surgical instruments with毫秒级 latency.
To ensure safety, the operation relied on a robust connectivity infrastructure: two redundant fiber-optic links, 5G backup connectivity, and a dedicated VPN network. Prior to the surgery, both teams underwent extensive training and simulations to test response protocols, potential delays, and contingency scenarios. The patient was selected using the same criteria applied to in-person robotic surgeries.
“A Technological Revolution in the SUS”
Padilha framed the achievement as the beginning of a broader transformation. “We are building a technological revolution in the SUS that combines connectivity, professional training, and permanent funding to expand access to robotic surgery. We are bringing the most modern technology to patients who live far from major urban centers, so they no longer need to travel long distances for surgery and can recover close to their families,” the minister stated.
He added: “At the same time, we will train and upgrade professionals from various regions, multiply this technology, and enable more hospitals to perform remote surgeries.”
Building the National Health Connectivity Network
The tele-surgery is the first practical application of a partnership formalized in May, when Padilha and Siqueira Filho signed a Decentralized Execution Term (TED) to create the Saúde Brasil High-Performance and Secure Connectivity Network. With an initial investment of R$ 2 million and a 30-month duration, the initiative establishes a critical-communications infrastructure between the two Hospital de Amor units, capable of supporting real-time, life-critical health applications with secure data transmission and high operational reliability.
Expanding Robotic Surgery Across the SUS
The Ministry of Health is progressively rolling out robotic surgery across the public system. Radical prostatectomy assisted by robot has been incorporated into SUS offerings, and robotic surgery systems have been included among the equipment eligible for public financing.
The expansion will be phased in gradually and regionally, guided by technical criteria that prioritize hospitals accredited in oncology with high surgical volume and proven operational capacity. The ministry estimates the initiative will benefit approximately 5,000 patients.
Robotic surgery offers documented advantages in selected cases, including reduced bleeding, fewer transfusions, shorter hospital stays, lower complication rates, and improved functional recovery. Beyond clinical benefits, the initiative modernizes the public oncology network, enhances cancer treatment quality, and expands access to advanced technologies in an organized and responsible manner.
About the Hospital de Amor
The Hospital de Amor, which led the pioneering procedure, is a philanthropic institution recognized as a reference in oncology, providing 100% free care through the SUS. In 2025 alone, it delivered more than 2 million appointments — including consultations, procedures, and exams — benefiting over 613,000 people from 2,711 Brazilian municipalities. The organization operates across prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, teaching, research, and innovation, bringing humanized care and state-of-the-art technology to patients across Brazil’s diverse regions.
Today’s milestone marks a decisive step toward reducing regional inequalities in access to advanced cancer care, proving that distance no longer needs to be a barrier between Brazil’s patients and the world’s most sophisticated surgical technologies.
Source: AgenciaGov
