A drone successfully carried crucial medications to a remote place of Uttarakhand's mountainous state. The unmanned vehicle delivered TB medications to a health centre in Tehri, Garhwal district, news agency ANI reported.
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister, stated that the usage of drones reduced delivery time from two hours to 30 minutes, PTI reported.
"Revolutionizing Healthcare Delivery Using Drones! Successful drone-based trial conducted at AIIMS Rishikesh for transporting anti-TB drugs from AIIMS Helipad to District Hospital Tehri Garhwal. Approximately 40 km aerial distance was covered within 30 minutes, reaching hilly regions conveniently," he was quoted by PTI in its report.
"The present project is intended to test long-term feasibility and develop a model to integrate the technology into the healthcare system as a supplement to existing logistics methods, and suggest ways for long-term sustainability of drone-based delivery of medical supplies, especially TB medicines," Mandaviya said.
The drone was used on a test flight to deliver medicines and other supplies from Rishikesh, and samples from Tuberculosis patients were collected from a health centre.
ALSO READ | Tripura Election: Over 80% Voter Turnout Recorded Amid Sporadic Violence, Result On March 2
"The provision of medications would be beneficial to people living in remote parts of Uttarakhand. We aim to build a system in which TB patients may get medicines without having to travel large distances for treatment," AIIMS Rishikesh Executive Director, Dr Meenu Singh said.
"Taking off with a drone is not the sole accomplishment; safely delivering medications to remote locations is a larger accomplishment," Dr Singh noted.
The Indian Army employed drones to deliver booster doses of Covid vaccination to advance troops in snowy locations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Drones were also utilised to distribute immunisations to rural communities in Maharashtra.
(With Inputs From Agencies)