GRH isolation ward gets three robots

GRH isolation ward gets three robots

They will be used to serve food and medication to patients

15/05/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

At your command: The three robots, named Zafi Go, will be used at the COVID-19 isolation wing of Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.ma15robots1

The COVID-19 isolation wing of Government Rajaji Hospital here has received three remote-controlled robots, named Zafi Go, from SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, on Thursday. These robots will be used to serve food and medication to patients.

Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar, who was present at the hospital, said that the robots would help the medical staff maintain personal distancing with the patients. “It is important to ensure the safety of doctors, nurses and sanitary workers, who are in the forefront of this fight against the pandemic. To boost immunity of the medical personnel, Vitamin C, Zinc tablets and kabasura kudineer are regularly distributed,” he said.

V. Badrinath, Dean, Corporate Relations and Extension Activities of Sastra University, said the robots, which can be controlled using remote, have three racks to carry food, medicines and water to the patients. “A medical staff can use the robots from a maximum distance of 1,500 metres to serve food and medicines to patients,” he said.

There is a LED screen on the robot and the remote to enable patients and doctors to communicate from a safe distance. “The main aim behind developing these robots was to reduce the personal distance between the patients and medical personnel, who are vulnerable to contract COVID-19 infection,” he said. The robots were developed by engineers of Propeller Technologies, a Tiruchi-based company, which is part of the Sastra Technology Business Incubator.

The hospital staff were trained to operate the robots. Mr. Badrinath said the university will be giving away 20 robots to various government hospitals across the State. Collector T.G. Vinay and Dean J. Sangumani were present.

Minister’s appeal

At a press meet the same day, the Revenue Minister said that with the relaxation of lockdown norms in place, people must cooperate with the government and adopt safety precautions to contain the spread of COVID-19.

People must wear face masks, maintain personal distancing and frequently wash their hands when they were outdoors. “Several shops and industries have started functioning after relaxation of lockdown norms. Based on people’s cooperation in adopting safety precautions, the Chief Minister will igradually permit other activities and restore normality,” he said.

Works under kudimaramathu scheme had begun. In Madurai district, around 640 works were being carried out under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, outside the containment zones, he said.

He also hailed the public health department for deploying mobile medical units - with each unit consisting of a doctor, nurse and a sanitary worker - to screen and provide medications to pregnant women and those with non-communicable diseases in all the 13 blocks of the district.