Covid-19: Rwandan Imports Robots To ‘Take Over’ From Health Workers

A new move by the Rwandan government has seen to the importation of five humanoid robots in order to reduce the exposure of health workers to COVID-19 patients.

Naija News understands that the robots would assist in both patient screening and delivery of foods and drugs to those suffering from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.

Daniel Ngamije, the country’s health minister, who broke the news yesterday while adding that the robots have been given Rwandan names — including Akazuba, Ikizere, Mwiza, Ngabo, and Urumuri — and would also act as video-conferencing links between patients and doctors.

“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 Minister said the robots which were manufactured by a Belgium company has quite a number of abilities, which includes; the ability to screen 50 to 150 people per minute.

Naija News learnt that they would also be able to record and store patient data, alert health workers to abnormalities, and warn people who aren’t wearing masks or are wearing them improperly.

As of May 19, Rwanda has recorded 308 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, 203 recoveries and no deaths, according to Worldometer.