Union Health Minister launches i-Drone, ICMR’s drone-based vaccine delivery model
Mansukh Mandaviya launched ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach in North East
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New Delhi, October 4: To make healthcare accessible to every citizen of the India, Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach in North East / i-Drone. This is a delivery model to make sure that life-saving vaccines reach everyone.
Congratulating the people of India, Mansukh Mandaviya said, “This is for the first time that a "Make in India' drone has been used in South Asia to transport COVID vaccine over an aerial distance of 15 kms in 12-15 mins from the Bishnupur district hospital to Loktak lake, Karang island in Manipur for administration at the PHC. The actual road distance between these locations is 26 k.m. Today, 10 beneficiaries will receive the first dose and 8 will receive the second dose at the PHC.”
This i-Drone is designed to overcome such challenges by deploying Unmanned Aerial vehicles aka UAV / drones to remote areas and hard to reach terrains. Currently, the drone-based delivery project has been granted permission for implementation in Manipur, Nagaland, and UT of Andaman and Nicobar Island.
Thanking leadership of PM Modi, Union Health Minister said, “Under his leadership, the Nation is progressing at a great pace. Today is a historic day, which showed us how technology is making life easier and bringing social change.
Congratulating the people of India, Mansukh Mandaviya said, “This is for the first time that a "Make in India' drone has been used in South Asia to transport COVID vaccine over an aerial distance of 15 kms in 12-15 mins from the Bishnupur district hospital to Loktak lake, Karang island in Manipur for administration at the PHC. The actual road distance between these locations is 26 k.m. Today, 10 beneficiaries will receive the first dose and 8 will receive the second dose at the PHC.”
He further said, “India is a home to geographical diversities and drones can be used to deliver essentials to the last mile. We can use drones in delivering important life-saving medicines, collecting blood samples. This technology can also be used in critical situations. This technology may prove a game changer in addressing the challenges in health care delivery, particularly health supplies in difficult areas.”
This i-Drone is designed to overcome such challenges by deploying Unmanned Aerial vehicles aka UAV / drones to remote areas and hard to reach terrains. Currently, the drone-based delivery project has been granted permission for implementation in Manipur, Nagaland, and UT of Andaman and Nicobar Island.
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ICMR conducted an initial study in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur to test the capacity of drones to carry and transfer vaccines safely. These studies gave promising results on basis of which the Ministry of Civil Aviation / MoCA, Directorate General of Civil Aviation / DGCA and other regulatory authorities have granted permission to fly drones beyond Visual Line of Sight.
He expressed confidence in this initiative, and said it can be helpful in delivering not just vaccines but also more medical supplies.