Rwanda Deploys Robots to Fight Covid 19

Rwanda has launched the use of robots in the fight against COVID-19, in a move aimed at reducing contact between medics and patients according the Ministry of Health Daniel Ngamje.

Rwanda has so far recorded 308 cases, the active cases standing at 99 and the recoveries 209 including 6 in the last 24 hours.

The Five anti-epidemic robots named Akazuba meaning the Sun, Ikirezi meaning good, Mwiza meaning beautiful, Ngabo meaning shield, and Urumuri meaning Light were launched at Kanyinya COVID-19 Treatment Centre outside Kigali by the Ministry of Health with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Speaking in Kigali on Wednesday Ngamije said the five robots will be mainly used to administer temperature checks, monitor patient status, and keep medical records of COVID-19 patients

“Robots are now part of our fight against COVID-19, the deployment is aimed minimizing risk of infections among health care workers and because of their capabilities. They will increase timeliness and efficiency in fighting COVID–19 as well as reduce exposure of health workers to possible infection of the pandemic,” Ngamije said.

“These robots 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,” Ngamije added.

He says the robots will operate at the main Covid 19 treatment Centre in Kanyinya but the command centre will be based at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village.

 

Speaking at the launch, the UNDP Country Representative Stephen Rodriques told local media that the body will be handing over to Rwanda new lab equipment and ICU beds worth about $1m to assist the According to available information, each robot cost approximately $30,000 minus shipping and maintenance costs.