MGUMST Rajasthan to deploy drones for medicines and organ transport
Jaipur: Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology (MGUMST), Jaipur, on Tuesday unveiled a plan to deploy drones for the transportation of healthcare materials, including medicines, human organs for transplantation, diagnostic specimens, along with applications in surveillance and emergency response during disasters.
According to The Indian Express, describing the move as a major stride in integrating aerial drone technology into healthcare and safety systems, the university also announced plans to set up a dedicated Centre of Excellence focused on drone innovation in partnership with Magic Myna. Fostering innovation, training, research, and the development of advanced drone-based services in the medical sector.
MGUMST said it is finalising a collaboration with the Rajasthan-based drone manufacturer to implement the project. Magic Myna director Sunil Soman Nair and state representative Ghanshyam stated that drones are already widely utilised in defence operations, and regulatory clearances required for medical use are currently being secured. They noted that the partnership with MGUMST would mark the first such initiative of its kind in Rajasthan, reports The Daily.
Chief Operating Officer of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Sukant Das, and Marketing Director Virendra Pareek said that drone technology will prove to be a blessing in the context of rapid transportation of cadaver organs, as after a patient becomes brain dead, the organs can only be used for transplantation within a limited time window. According to The Daily, now, drone technology can be used instead of the old ways of ambulances and administratively created green corridors. Problems like traffic, long-distance travelling, and time constraints can be handled, making the transfer of organs safe and easy between hospitals in considerably less time. They said that these measures can systematically improve the organ transplant rate.
Moreover, transportation of laboratory and diagnostic samples will also undergo a “revolutionary change.” Using temperature-controlled drone boxes, blood samples, biopsies, and other sensitive specimens can be quickly dispatched to testing centres.
Virendra Pareek further added that timely transportation will help to ensure the integrity of the sample, and delays in patient treatment can be prevented. Additionally, drones will also be helpful in conducting security surveillance and patrolling. The initiative is in line with the ideals of Atmanirbhar Bharat, which stresses being vocal on local. The step will prove to be a strategic step to empower Rajasthan as a technology-driven healthcare.
