The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Society of Robotic Surgery (SRS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance equitable access to virtual care and telesurgery. The MoU was officially launched at the SRS Annual Meeting in Strasbourg, France, on 15 July 2025, hosted at the Institute for Research into Cancer of the Digestive System (IRCAD) – a globally recognized centre for surgical excellence and innovation.
The event convened global health leaders, innovators, and scientists, including Dr Silvia Lutucuta, Minister of Health of Angola, and Dr Ahmad Al-Awadhi, Minister of Health of Kuwait – two countries demonstrating leadership in advancing telesurgery and digital health innovation. Also in attendance were Nobel laureates in chemistry and medicine, Jean-Marie Lehn and Jules Hoffmann, underscoring the deep scientific commitment to harnessing cutting-edge innovation for public good.
This strategic collaboration represents a flagship initiative under WHO’s health innovation agenda – focused on unlocking the power of digital technologies and health system innovation to deliver essential health services to those who need them most.
Despite major advances in health care delivery, billions of people – especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) – remain excluded from timely and quality surgical care. In many low-income countries, there is fewer than one trained surgeon per 100 000 people. However, advances in digital and telecommunications infrastructure and robotic-assisted technologies are opening new pathways to address longstanding barriers. Achieving this potential calls for more than technological innovation. It also depends on closing persistent gaps in the health innovation ecosystem – particularly between the public and private sectors – and on strengthening the regulatory, economic and workforce systems that support digital health solutions such as telesurgery.
“Virtual care and telesurgery are not just about high-tech tools – they’re about radically rethinking how health systems can extend access to care, build local capacity, strengthen health systems, and close equity gaps,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General of the Health Systems Division at WHO. “This collaboration invests in the foundations for transformative new models of equitable virtual care, including telesurgery, along with innovative, sustainable investment models for public health.”
Through the new Virtual Care and Telesurgery innovation initiative, WHO and SRS will mobilize cross-sectoral partnerships to accelerate the development, deployment and scale-up of context-appropriate innovation solutions for surgical care. The initiative will:
- establish expert groups and task forces in selected LMICs to co-design scalable models;
- promote affordable, locally adaptable technologies and platforms;
- support remote mentoring and capacity-building for surgical teams;
- develop investment cases and financing mechanisms fit for LMIC contexts; and
- produce global normative guidance to ensure safe, ethical and inclusive implementation.
“With the potential for greater precision, faster recovery times, fewer complications and remote mentorship, robotic telesurgery can not only enhance the quality of care – it also presents a humanitarian opportunity to extend access to training and surgical expertise across borders in real time,” said Dr Vipul Patel, Executive Director of the Society of Robotic Surgery.
“This initiative is about health systems innovation – rethinking how we connect people, expertise, and resources across borders and sectors,” said Louise Agersnap, Unit Head leading the initiative at WHO. “To succeed, we must bridge gaps between public and private actors, between patients, surgeons, and investors. That means building an enabling environment with the right regulatory frameworks, investment strategies, and capacity-building efforts.” Dr Alain Labrique, Director of WHO’s Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI, added: “Systems thinking is essential to ensure that digital health innovations like virtual care and telesurgery can deliver sustainable, equitable impact where it is needed the most. Technology innovations must be part of strong, people-centred health systems marked by local capacity, governance and policies that ensure their safe and effective use.”
The partnership reflects WHO’s commitment to leveraging digital and technical innovation to advance health equity and calls on partners across sectors to help transform ambition into action.