Amidst the rolling hills of Uttarakhand, a marvel of modern technology recently unfolded. A fleet of drones carried two kilograms of anti-tuberculosis drugs from AIIMS Rishikesh to a hospital in the Tehri Garhwal district region on Thursday.
This feat was part of a trial to test the feasibility of using drones for the delivery of medical supplies, and the results were nothing short of amazing.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya lauded the successful trial, stating that it had cut the delivery time from two long hours to a mere half-hour, revolutionising healthcare delivery using drones.
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"Approximately 40 km aerial distance was covered within 30 minutes, reaching hilly regions conveniently," he said.
Unmanned aerial vehicles or drones are extensively used in agricultural spraying and surveillance among other things, and is not a new concept.
The existing healthcare system has conducted several trials for delivering medical supplies using drones across the country. However, there is limited evidence available on the integration of this technology with the healthcare system and its cost-effectiveness in delivering essential medical supplies, emphasised Mandaviya.
This project aims to test the long-term feasibility of drone-based delivery and to develop a model for its integration into existing logistics methods, thus ensuring long-term sustainability, he added.
The project aims to explore the practicality of employing drones to transport crucial medical supplies, specifically TB medicines, and transfer sputum samples to laboratories in Uttarakhand state. The success of this trial opens up a world of possibilities, including the transportation of organs using drones in the future.
Mandaviya said the next such drone-based trial is scheduled to be an exercise between AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Jhajjar.
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