KENYANS TO START USING ROBOTS

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has launched Smart Anti-Epidemic Robotic solution technology to boost the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three robots namely Shujaa, Jasiri and Tumaini will be stationed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

The special machines have the ability to measure the temperature of 10 to 100 persons per minute at a distance of 2.5 to 3.5 metres away.

According to Kagwe, the robots will help in saving time by taking the temperatures at a relatively high speed and from a safe distance thus protecting frontline workers from the secondary transmission of COVID-19.

“These robots will be deployed to Kenyatta National Hospital where they will help to reduce exposure of health workers to COVID-19 patients. We will also have some at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where they will assist in temperature screening, disinfection, communication of health messages and data capture,” said the Health CS.

The technology is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and ICT, Innovations and Youth Affairs, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Japanese government.

The launch was also attended by the Japanese Ambassador to Kenya Ryoichi Horie, UNDP Resident Representative Walid Badawi and Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi among others.

By Tuko