Covid-19 patients in Tygerberg Hospital can now connect with their loved ones with the help of a robot.
Since visitors are not allowed in the isolation units, ‘Quintin’, the robot is doubling as a communication tool for family members to “see” their relatives.
Being isolated is a lonely and fear-filled experience for most Covid-19 patients.
Psychiatrist Dr Kerry Louw said the situation fosters thoughts of death and sensory deprivation in patients mind.
But Quintin is helping in someway.
“Using a cellphone app, healthcare staff can steer Quintin into a ward right up to a patient’s bed where family members can see and talk to their loved ones in the ICU.”
With the help of Quintin, Vuyelwa Simayile was able to see her husband who was being treated at Tygergerberg Hospital.
“The video calls were helping. Even though my husband couldn’t talk for long, he was struggling to breathe, at least I could see him and I could talk to him.”
According to Pulmonologist Professor Brian Alwood, Quintin made patients’ ICU experience a little easier.
“For the first time our patients are seeing a face at the bedside who doesn’t have a mask on, who doesn’t have full PPE.”
Doctors doing ward rounds can do so virtually with the aid of the Quintin the robot.
