Recently, the multi-port surgical robot independently developed by Edge Medical® was commercially installed and rapidly deployed at the Centre Medico-Chirurgical d’Urologie (CMCU) in Douala, Cameroon, where it has successfully completed its first series of clinical procedures.

This is the first endoscopic surgical robot ever introduced in Cameroon, marking the country’s official entry into the robotic era of minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

Founded in 2007 by Dr. Njinou Ngninkeu Bertin, a renowned African urology specialist, CMCU was established with the mission of enabling Cameroonian patients to receive world-class minimally invasive treatment at home — without having to travel abroad.

Nineteen years later, that vision has finally become reality with the arrival of a Chinese-made surgical robot.

The Era of Cross-Border Treatment Is Over

A Chinese Surgical Robot Rewrites Cameroon’s Medical History

According to local media reports, sub-Saharan Africa has long faced a critical shortage of advanced specialty surgical resources.In 2025 alone, the number of registered prostate cancer cases in Cameroon surpassed 2,000. For years, a large number of patients with prostate, bladder, kidney, gynecological, and gastrointestinal cancers had no choice but to travel to Europe, the U.S., or South Africa for surgical treatment.

The long journeys and high out-of-region medical costs have caused many low-income families to miss the optimal window for treatment.To address this local healthcare challenge, CMCU introduced the Edge Medical multi-port surgical robot — a China-made system bringing world-leading MIS technology directly to Cameroon.The long-standing reality of Cameroonian patients seeking cross-border treatment is now undergoing a fundamental shift.Following installation, CMCU successfully completed its first seven high-complexity urological procedures — six radical prostatectomies and one partial nephrectomy.

The procedures were led by Dr. Bertin, President of the African Society for Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery and Director of CMCU. Edge Medical’s clinical and technical teams were on-site throughout — supporting installation, intraoperative instrument changes, and ensuring stable clinical use.During these initial clinical cases, the Edge Medical robot demonstrated outstanding advantages in minimally invasive surgery.As procedures continued, the CMCU team’s efficiency with radical prostatectomy improved dramatically — each case completed in under one hour, with intraoperative blood loss kept to a very low level;Partial nephrectomy cases were consistently completed within 50 minutes, effectively shortening renal warm ischemia time and maximally preserving healthy kidney tissue.

From Technology Advantage to Real-World Impact

Powerful Chinese Technology Makes Waves

The introduction of Cameroon’s first endoscopic surgical robot has opened an entirely new chapter in robot-assisted surgery in the country, drawing widespread local attention.Local television media visited CMCU to cover the milestone, fully documenting the first surgical robot entering clinical use and witnessing a new breakthrough in China-Africa medical cooperation.The reports noted that the Edge Medical multi-port surgical robot offers exceptional flexibility, with high-definition 3D imaging that magnifies lesion details and significantly enhances surgical precision;The lead surgeon can remotely control the robotic arms from the console, reducing fatigue during long procedures and enabling multiple surgeries to be completed in a single day;

The system supports urology, gynecology, general surgery, and other specialties, accommodating a wide range of oncological MIS procedures — one platform powering multi-specialty surgical development across the hospital.In the interview, Dr. Bertin noted that, compared with traditional open surgery, the Edge Medical robot’s minimally invasive approach significantly accelerates patient recovery — patients can drink, eat, and sit up the same day, get out of bed independently the next day, and experience a substantially shorter hospital stay.

He emphasized that, compared with the cumulative cost burden of cross-border care — travel, accommodation, and treatment in another country — domestic robotic surgery is significantly more affordable, while the surgical standards are fully aligned with those of developed countries in Europe and the U.S. African patients can now access the same world-class MIS treatment right at home.

Reaching Across Central Africa

Opening a New Path for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Africa

The deployment of the Edge Medical multi-port robot in Cameroon will not only provide local patients with higher-quality MIS care, but will also radiate across the entire Central African sub-region — allowing patients in neighboring African countries to share the benefits of advanced medical technology.According to reports, CMCU has engaged with relevant local authorities to jointly advance the regional adoption of robotic MIS technology.

With fully independent intellectual property rights, the Chinese-made surgical robot going abroad has filled a structural gap in advanced minimally invasive surgery in sub-Saharan Africa, while demonstrating to the global market the original R&D and smart-manufacturing strength of China’s high-end medical devices.A brand-new door for the development of minimally invasive surgery in Africa has now been opened.

Edge Medical will continue to deepen its presence in overseas markets. Leveraging its full portfolio of independently developed surgical robots and a comprehensive localized technical service network, the company will keep delivering proven, reliable Chinese smart-healthcare solutions — empowering inclusive access to minimally invasive care at the global grassroots level.