The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on October 19 successfully transported more than 100 units of essential medications for 20 kilometres in Lahaul and Spiti district using drone and reducing travel time from 120 minutes to 26 minutes.
The feasibility study in Himachal Pradesh is part of the national mission to advance India’s drone ecosystem to explore the transportation of vital medical resources, including medications, diagnostic blood samples, and sputum, via drones.
In this first high-altitude, low-temperature venture ICMR’s endeavour in the long-run is to streamline the distribution of essential medical provisions from regional hospitals in Keylong to more than eight Primary Health Centers (PHCs) in the region, encompassing locations such as Sissu, Gondhal, Thiort, Tholang, Jahalma, Gemur, Darcha, Shansha, among others.
