Starting this week, UZ Gent will use a high-tech cleaning robot named SAM-UVC to disinfect Operating Rooms and Isolation Rooms. Using UV-C light, SAM effectively eliminates viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms without harmful chemicals, offering a safer and more sustainable solution than previously used chlorine-based products.

"The introduction of SAM enhances efficiency and ensures higher safety standards for patients and staff," says Pascal de Waegemaeker, Head of the Infection Control Department at UZ Gent.

Robot SAM, developed by the Dutch company Loop Robots, disinfects an Operating Room in just 20 minutes, providing time savings and peace of mind. "Every centimeter counts in this work. With SAM, we can be sure nothing is missed," says Environmental Service Worker Charissa De Geyter.

Double Time Savings

Despite her diligent new colleague, De Geyter is not worried about her job. "There's plenty of cleaning to do in a hospital. They're not going to replace me," she says. She monitors the robot's progress via a tablet while performing other tasks in a different room, resulting in double time savings. After every disinfection round, SAM provides a digital disinfection report.

UZ Gent experimented with twelve different types of robots over a year. SAM emerged as the winner because he can work almost fully autonomously, the first in the country. SAM officially begins his new job this week, disinfecting the operating complex and rooms in the pulmonology and hematology departments. "These are patients with weakened immune systems, who especially benefit from thorough disinfection," says De Cnijf. If everything goes well, the Infection Prevention team plans to deploy the robot more widely in the hospital, and SAM might even get one or more "siblings."

For more information, check:

• The video on the National News channel VRT

• Article on the website of UZ Gent

• Article on news website "de Specialist"

• Article on news website VRT