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Rwanda Deploys Robots In COVID-19 Fight, Screens 150 People Per Minute (Video, Photos)
While the world is trying to find a possible way of ending the coronavirus, some countries are going the tech way in resolving the issue and also to reduce human interactions.
Five humanoid robots have been delivered to Rwanda to assist in both patient screening and delivery of foods and drugs to those suffering from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
According to BBC, Daniel Ngamije, the country’s health minister, who broke the news on Tuesday, said the move is aimed at reducing the exposure of health workers to COVID-19 patients.
According to him, the robots have been given Rwandan names: Akazuba (meaning sun in English), Ikizere (meaning hope), Mwiza (meaning beautiful), Ngabo (meaning shield) and Urumuri (meaning light), which will serve as an interface between the doctor and the patient, thereby reducing exposure of health workers to possible infection of the virus.
“We need additional robots for other duties like disinfection in public space and we are working to get them,” the minister was quoted to have said.
The robots, donated to the health ministry by the United Nations Development Program and the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and Innovation, have the capacity to screen 50 to 150 people per minute, deliver food and medication to patient rooms, capture data and notify officers on duty about detected abnormalities, said Ngamije.
The smart mobile robots also have functions like facial recognition, temperature screening, monitoring patient’s status and keep medical records of the patients, he said.
“Because of these capabilities, they will enhance health workers’ efficiency and effectiveness in fighting COVID-19 in our country,” he said, adding that they would also facilitate the transformation from paper-based to digital patients’ files.
“It is exciting to see different institutions join hands to seek solutions to address COVID-19. It is yet another milestone that technology is used to improve healthcare in Rwanda,” said the minister.
As of Monday evening, Rwanda has registered 297 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 203 recoveries.
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