Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu virtually launched a trial to use drones to provide superior healthcare services to rural communities in East Kameng district on August 15.

It is to be mentioned that the Redwing Labs will provide ‘Made in India’ hybrid vertical takeoff and landing drones and run end-to-end operations under the project. The drone network is being set up on a limited experimental basis to pilot aerial healthcare deliveries in the state and will enable diagnostics and emergency treatments at the local health centres.

“The initiative is the outcome of multiple stakeholders collaborating to improve healthcare access to communities in remote areas,” according to a press release.

By delivering medical supplies up to eight times faster than road-based logistics, the drone network will serve the population of East Kameng by offering a better quality of care in the interior blocks.

Speaking about the collaboration with Redwing Labs, SAMRIDH project director Himanshu Sikka said, “SAMRIDH is committed to enable scaling up of innovative healthcare solutions by improving their access to affordable capital and technical assistance. Our collaboration with Redwing Labs gives us a tremendous opportunity to address supply-chain shortcomings in the healthcare sector to address access and affordability of quality healthcare for the vulnerable populations. We will also be providing impact evaluation assistance that could be useful to develop the drone policy for future drone-based healthcare delivery projects.”

Highlighting the impact of the initiative, DC Pravimal Abhishek Polumatla said, “East Kameng district has a very hilly terrain, which makes it difficult to access interior areas, particularly during monsoons. I am sure the drone-based drug delivery will be a game changer in strengthening access to healthcare in such remote areas.

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