Watch: Drone-based healthcare network launched in Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh on Monday launched a drone-based healthcare network- 'medicine from the sky' - from Seppa to Chayang Tajo in the East Kameng district. Taking to Twitter, chief minister Pema Khandu shared a nearly 50-second-long video of the drone flight's launch.

“Guided by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India the world's drone hub, the government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to conduct a pilot project of using drones in healthcare, agriculture and disaster management in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF),” Khandu tweeted.

He said the pilot project has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and executed by Bengaluru-based startup Redwing Labs.

The project shall provide a clear picture of operational issues, financial feasibility and regulatory issues, based on which the government shall make a policy and take steps for phased adoption of this emerging technology, the chief minister further tweeted.

The project in the East Kameng district was made possible by the financial and technical support from SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility- an initiative supported by the USAID and implemented by IPE Global, news agency PTI reported.

East Kameng's deputy commissioner Pravimal Abhishek the district has a very hilly terrain which makes it difficult to access interior areas, particularly during monsoon. Abhishek added that drone-based drug delivery will be a game changer in strengthening access to healthcare in such remote areas.

Meanwhile, Vignesh Santhanam, lead for aerospace and drones at the WEF, said that the international organisation undertook a field study in Arunachal Pradesh in mid-2021 to learn about the state's local health distribution system, disease profile and nature of the terrain.

“Traversing the Seppa-Bameng belt by road, in particular, made it evident that drones were an absolute necessity,” Santhanam added.

(With agency inputs)