AIIMS-Patna to buys drones to supply drugs, vaccines, anti-snake venom

AIIMS-Patna executive director (ED) Dr Gopal Krushna Pal said the drone service is expected to begin early next year

PATNA: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Patna has decided to buy drones to supply essential drugs, vaccines and anti-snake venom (ASV) to far-flung and inaccessible areas and to reach people during natural disasters AIIMS-Patna executive director (ED) Dr Gopal Krushna Pal said on Monday.

AIIMS-Patna executive director (ED) Dr Gopal Krushna Pal said two medium-sized drones will be bought initially as part of the ₹15 crore project (File Photo)

Dr Pal said the procurement of the drones and the logistics involved in operating the service were likely to be completed by the end of the year. The service is expected to be operational in early 2024, he said on the sidelines of the Chandrayan Mahotsav celebrated at the institute to commemorate the success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.

“We are soon going to launch the space health project of AIIMS, Patna, which is the drone project, to supply essential drugs, vaccines and anti-snake venom, to peripheries of the state. Our standing finance committee, headed by the Union health secretary, approved the project on July 7,” said Dr Pal.

“We will establish around 10 outreach centres in a radius of 400 km from AIIMS-Patna in the periphery of the state, where we can reach essential drugs, vaccines and ASV through drones. We will coordinate with the state government to identify the location of our outreach centres, which may be set up at any state government building, where we will require around two rooms,” said Dr Pal.

AIIMS plans to initially buy two medium-sized drones and make an assessment on the basis of its experience. Dr Pal said the tentative cost of the project, including the price of two drones, is ₹15 crore.

“I had a meeting with the director of the drone project in the Union ministry of civil aviation recently, and we have agreed to work out the specifications of the drone to be purchased, its size and carrying capacity,” said Dr Pal.

AIIMS will also coordinate with the state home department and the Airports Authority of India for the requisite clearances to fly the drones.

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