Portugal’s first fifth-generation surgical robot awarded to Autonomous Region of the Azores - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Saúde e Segurança Social

The Regional Secretary for Health and Social Security, Mónica Seidi, has approved the awarding of the tender for the procurement, installation and maintenance of a robotic surgery system for the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital, E.P.E.R. (HDES), a strategic investment that further modernises the Regional Health Service.

The decision follows the Government Council Resolution no. 164-A/2025 of December 23, which authorised the expenditure and the launch of the corresponding international public tender, under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).

Under the decision now taken, a contract has been awarded for the purchase, installation and maintenance of a robotic surgery system, for €2,415,000.00, and for the purchase, installation and maintenance of an operating table compatible with the robotic system, for €114,500.00; both amounts are subject to VAT at the legal rate in force.

The system to be installed at HDES is the IS5000 – Intuitive da Vinci 5 model, the most advanced fifth-generation robotic surgery system, and the first of its kind to be procured in Portugal. This equipment incorporates more than 150 technological innovations, including high-definition three-dimensional visualisation, greater surgical precision and force feedback technology, enabling healthcare professionals to perform safer and more effective procedures.

This technological breakthrough will bring direct benefits for patients, notably through the performance of minimally invasive surgeries, resulting in less trauma, fewer complications and shorter recovery times.

For Mónica Seidi, “this investment represents a decisive step forward in the development of the Regional Health Service, placing the Azores at the forefront of technological innovation in healthcare at a national level, with clear benefits for the quality of care provided and patient safety.”

The government official also emphasised that this initiative “strengthens the capacity of HEDES to respond across a range of surgical specialities, leading to better clinical outcomes and greater efficiency within the regional healthcare system.”