Coronavirus scare: Chennai hospital to deploy robots to deliver food, medicines in wards

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.25 AM IST

CHENNAI: Soon, robots will deliver food, beverages, and tablets to Covid-19 positive patients in the isolation ward of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here. They will carry monitors and cameras to aid video conferencing between patients and care givers.

A private university that developed the technology will organise a demo for doctors and paramedical staff after which they will deploy the robots. “The aim is to reduce frequent exposure for health staff and limit the number of people entering the ward,” said dean Dr J Jayanthi.

While doctors and nurses will continue their rounds and duties in the wards, the robots will be sent in for nonmedical needs. Studies show that the virus can stay alive on steel for three days and cardboard for up to 24 hours. Such machines are being used in several countries as frontline workers. For instance, in China a machine that has a robotic arm on wheels performs ultrasound scans, takes mouth swabs and listens to sounds made by a patient’s organs. Some others clean surfaces with disinfectants and hand over hand sanitisers.

Last week, the hospital, which sees 80,000 footfalls a day, shut all private canteens and eateries, restricted visitors and outpatients, and advised doctors to postpone elective surgeries. The pharmacy will also give 30 days supply of drugs, instead of the usual one week, to patients with chronic ailments.

The GH has also opened the ground floor Tower 3 block as a Covid-19 outpatient ward. “We decided not to wait for the inauguration. Having a separate unit will prevent people with symptoms entering the main hospital,” said health minster C Vijayabaskar. At least 150 beds have been set aside in six of the eight floors in the rheumatology block.

Meanwhile, a pulmonology block is now getting converted into 30-bed isolation unit that will satisfy international standards.