The doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 cases here can heave a sigh of relief as a robot will now assist them in taking care of patients at the Government General Hospital in the city.

Named NELBOT, it will visit the patients in the COVID-19 isolation ward from time to time and act as a bridge between them and medical professionals who, henceforth, need not personally visit the patients.

“We will use it to give patients medicines and food on time,” said nodal officer M. Narendra.

The robot had been introduced on a pilot basis here. Based on its functioning more robots would be pressed into service, said SPSR Nellore Joint Collector Vinod Kumar.

Made by engineer

The robot was developed by an electrical engineer Parveesh Hussain, an alumnus of Anna University, Chennai at the behest of Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy to come to the aid of medical professionals who treat patients risking their lives. It has been programmed to carry food, medicines, medical reports and even newspapers for patients.

The robot, costing about ₹2.50 lakh, was donated by APR Helping Hands Foundation to the GGH, said its Director Sd. Nizamuddin.

Mobile app

It has been programmed to enable a doctor from anywhere to remotely examine a patient online through telecommunication application skype after downloading the relevant mobile app.

The services of robots will be extended to other State-run hospitals in phases.