Launching this initiative, which will facilitate vaccine delivery in the inaccessible areas of India, the Union Health Minister said, “Our vaccination program for COVID-19 has already exceeded all expectations.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday launched i-Drone, ICMR’s drone-based COVID-19 vaccine delivery model to help hard-to-reach areas of the Northeast. This is the first drone-based vaccination model in Southeast Asia, and is part of the ICMR ‘Make in India’ project.
“This is the first time that a “Make in India” drone has been used in South Asia to transport a COVID-19 vaccine over an aerial distance of 15 km in 12-15 minutes from Bishnupur District Hospital to Loktak Lake, Karang Island. in Manipur for administration in PHC.
Mandaviya said, “The actual road distance between these places is 26 km. Today, 10 beneficiaries will get the first dose and eight will get the second dose at the PHC.”
The Union Health Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, ‘The country is progressing very fast under his leadership. Today is a historic day, which showed us how technology is making life easier and bringing social change.”
He said that India is home to geographical diversities and drones can be used to deliver essential goods to the last mile.
“We can use drones to deliver vital life-saving drugs, collect blood samples. This technology can also be used in critical situations. This technology challenges health care delivery, especially in health supplies in difficult areas. Mandaviya said.
Launching this initiative, which will facilitate vaccine delivery in the inaccessible areas of India, the Union Health Minister said, “Our vaccination program for COVID-19 has already exceeded all expectations.
“I firmly believe that this initiative will help us achieve the highest possible vaccination coverage for COVID-19. Incorporating such drone technologies into national programs will help deliver other vaccines and medical supplies as quickly as possible “
Despite effective and safe vaccine administration in states and union territories, the delivery of vaccines to difficult and inaccessible areas of India is still challenging.
The health ministry said that the i-drone has been designed to overcome these challenges by deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones in remote areas.
At present, the drone-based delivery project has been permitted for implementation in Manipur and Nagaland as well as in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
ICMR conducted a preliminary study in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur to test the capability of drones to safely carry and transfer vaccines.
The study was conducted in Manipur, Nagaland and Andaman and Nicobar. These studies provided promising results on the basis of which the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other regulatory authorities have given permission to fly drones beyond visual line.
Mandaviya expressed confidence in this initiative and said that it can be helpful in delivering not only vaccines but also other medical supplies. He said that this will help in bridging the gaps in the existing vaccine delivery mechanism.
He thanked the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA and Airports Authority of India for their support in this endeavor and congratulated ICMR, health workers and all those involved in this historic initiative.
(with PTI input)
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