Bhubaneswar: AIIMS Bhubaneswar Tuesday conducted a successful trial of utilising drones to provide superior healthcare services in Odisha.
The drone completed the successful journey of 120 kilometers from AIIMS, Bhubaneswar to CHC Tangi in just 1.10 hours, carrying the essential blood supplies weighing around 2 kilograms, without encountering any operational issues, said a source.
The trial was conducted in the presence of AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director Dr. Ashutosh Biswas.
Dr. Biswas reiterated the commitment of the national institute to develop a model to integrate the technology into the healthcare system as a supplement to existing logistics methods and suggest ways for the long-term sustainability of drone-based delivery of medical supplies. Induction of drone delivery can boost the healthcare services in rural, tribal, and semi-urban locations, he said.
These drones can carry multiple health products including vaccines, essential drugs and diagnostic samples. Drone service can play a pivotal role during any natural disasters, overcoming geographical barriers and ensuring timely delivery of critical medical supplies to remote areas like emergency medicine, blood samples and blood products, said the source.
The drone used for the trial services has the capacity to carry up to 5 kilograms and can travel up to 160 kilometers.
This is an initiative by Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) under MoHFW to enhance the accessibility of healthcare services for people residing in difficult-to-reach areas like remote geographical terrains or flooded areas, the source concluded.
UNI