Rwanda is deploying robots in hospitals as part of its response strategies to fight the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus. 

The robots are being used to reduce contact between medics and coronavirus patients.

According to information from the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, the five high-tech robots can perform a number of tasks related to COVID-19 management, including mass temperature screening, delivering food and medication to patients, capturing data, detecting people who are not wearing masks, among others.

The robots can also screen between 50 to 150 people per minute, capture both video and audio data, and notify officers on duty about detected abnormalities for timely response and case management.

“These robots will fasten service delivery while protecting our valuable health workers against COVID-19 exposure,” Rwanda’s Minister of Health Dr Daniel Ngamije told reporters at the launching ceremony in Kanyinya COVID-19 Treatment Centre last Tuesday. 

The robots are made by Zora Bots, a Belgian company specialised in robotics solutions. They are designed with various advanced features to support doctors and nurses at designated treatment centres, and can also be leveraged into screening sites in the country.

Each robot costs about $3,300.