In the time of crisis when the nation is fighting against the novel coronavirus, PGIMER Chandigarh has developed a lost cost robotic trolley for the COVID-19 patients in order to ensure minimum contact of the healthcare workers with them and furthermore to avoid contamination in the surroundings.

The device was formally launched by Mr. Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER on Saturday, which has been acronymed as DOOT(delivery, observance and orchestrated tele communicator), was designed by two of the resident doctors Pranay Mahajan and Shailesh Gaukar from the Department of Hospital Administration.

The Director exalted the initiative by saying, “The health and safety of our frontline corona warriors is always our utmost concern as they are putting their lives at risk to rescue the affected patient.”

He also said that the robotic device will help the workers to a great extent as the patients can now be delivered foods and medicines in their respective wards with minimum contact as possible. He also said that this device is PGIMER’s step forward towards the direction of safety and self-reliance.

Vipin Koushal, Incharge of the COVID Hospital said, “With an exponential increment in the number of corona positive patients it was becoming very difficult for the management to handle the situation, but these robotic devices now came as a relief to us. It is special, affordable and customized for our local needs.”

He also added that in this current situation of crisis when the whole nation is at lockdown, coming up with such a device was a challenging task with a budget of around 25,000 INR. 

He also said that this was only possible because of the continuous support provided by the Engineering Department of PGIMER.

So far a total of 222 cases of coronavirus have been registered in Chandigarh in which about 41 are active cases, with about 178 patients cured and discharged. The Corona death toll till date in Chandigarh is three.