ICMR initiates four drone studies to help medical supplies

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved and initiated four studies to find out if drones can be used to carry medical supplies and test samples to difficult and hard-to-reach terrain

The studies have been initiated under ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach for North East, or i-DRONE, programme in line with the recommendations by a project review committee that met this month.

“All these drone-related studies will be concluded within six months,” an ICMR official told Moneycontrol.

TB diagnosis
In Telangana, the ICMR will conduct a feasibility study on use of i-DRONE in transport of sputum samples and drugs under the national tuberculosis elimination programme in tribal and hilly areas of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.

The study, to be conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar, will involve community health centres and primary health centres and tuberculosis units in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri.

According to ICMR, this study will assess the feasibility of using drones for transporting diagnostic sputum samples from the health centres to TB units and assess the turnaround time for diagnosis of the disease.

The study will generate evidence for understanding the opportunities and challenges in drone use during health emergencies.

“The turnaround time of delivery of the diagnostic sputum samples to the designated tuberculosis units may be reduced if drones are used in place of conventional modes in rough terrain, which will in turn improvise TB yearly target achievements, especially in rural and remote locations,” the official cited above said.

Aerial healthcare delivery
The second study will be on the deployment of a robust aerial healthcare delivery system and will be conducted by Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka.

This study will assess whether drones will be a feasible mode of transport for transferring frozen sections from a limited-resource hospital to a multi-speciality hospital.

“Additionally, the turnaround time of the shipped materials through drones will be compared with the conventional modes. Further, through qualitative aspects, the acceptability of use of drones among healthcare providers will be studied as well,” the ICMR official said.

Medical supplies
ICMR will also perform a feasibility study on drone-based delivery of medical supplies in Keylong, Himachal Pradesh, involving community and primary health centres in Lahaul district.

The study will check the feasibility of using drones for transportation medical supplies from regional centre to health centres across Lahaul district, the official said.

“This study will also identify the challenges and barriers faced by the state health administrators for transportation of medical supplies, and further, explore the acceptability of drone-based delivery of medical supplies among the healthcare providers who will be involved in this study,” he added.

Blood bag delivery
A study for validation of blood bag delivery by drones compared to conventional methods of transportation in Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, Government Institute of Medical Sciences, Greater Noida and Jaypee Institute of Information Technology has also been approved.

The study will assess whether blood bags and components of blood transported through drones can maintain their composition, quality and integrity.

“Additionally, a suitable solution for maintaining the target temperature of blood products during drone flights will be explored. This study will validate the quality control parameters required for transportation of blood through drones. The SOPs and guidelines for this purpose will be drafted based on this trial study,” the official said..

The ICMR is also planning to conduct a study to explore the use of drones for vector-borne disease control with scientists from different arms of the research body.

“In this study, mapping of breeding sites through drones will be conducted and vector borne disease control and diagnostic kits will be delivered to community health centres and primary health centres,” the official said. Moneycontrol