Dehradun: In an attempt to boost general healthcare facilities in uttarakhandAIIMS-Rishikesh has started a drone service to deliver and pick up medications.
The installation will be especially useful for the six months of duration chardham yatra in Uttarakhand, considering that more than 300 pilgrims lost their lives during last year’s annual pilgrimage and the four holy shrines—Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri—are located above 10,000 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas.
Minister of the Union, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted on Thursday: “Revolutionizing healthcare delivery using drones. Successful drone based trial conducted at AIIMS-Rishikesh to transport tuberculosis drugs from AIIMS heliport to Tehri”.
AIIMS-Rishikesh Director Dr. Meenu Singh said, “We are trying to create a system through which we can not only deliver TB drugs but also bring patient samples from remote areas for testing. Furthermore, our aim is to become a strong support system for the state government during the Char Dham yatra, especially as this is when the health infrastructure of our state is under pressure and additional support is required.It is being done with central support, and our institution has become the first AIIMS in the country to use drones to transport medicines.”
On Thursday, the drone’s departure began at around 10:45 a.m. from the AIIMS-Rishikesh heliport and landed with the medicines at Tehri District Hospital at 11:15 a.m., covering a three-hour distance of 36 kilometers in just 30 minutes. . And, symbolically, the first drone took off with tuberculosis medicines, as the Center plans to make the country tuberculosis-free by 2025.
Singh added: “The drone installation will be immensely helpful for the yatra. During the yatra, (some) pilgrims due to the age factor suffer from various health problems at high altitudes, particularly heart and lung problems. There are also traffic accidents. And that’s when drones can be used to transport blood and small emergency kits for urgent needs.” AIIMS-Rishikesh has partnered with a Gurgaon-based company to run the operation.
