NEW DELHI: Transferring blood and other medical supplies from a medical facility to hard-to-reach villages is costly and time-consuming if done through the conventional mode. But now, drone technology has offered much better opportunities in the healthcare sector, primarily in remote environments, by enabling just-in-time lifesaving medical supply delivery, said a latest ICMR study.
Published in the reputed Springer Nature journal, the study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that in the future, drones could be an option to deliver other important and time-sensitive medical supplies, such as emergency drugs or pharmaceutical products, in India, just like in several other countries.
The ICMR scientists conducted the study to evaluate the efficiency, sustainability, and challenges of adopting drone technology for blood delivery compared to road transportation. The idea was also to check the delivery of blood components during emergency situations and in difficult terrains that currently face delayed healthcare responses due to inaccessibility.
They found that during drone-based transportation, the temperature, integrity of blood cells, and other parameters were maintained. Also, the drone travelled around 36 km in eight minutes compared to the same route a van took, which took nearly an hour.
Buoyed by the findings, the ICMR, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research, is now planning to carry out similar pilot studies in hard-to-access areas.
Speaking with TNIE, Dr Sumit Aggarwal, Scientist and Program office, incharge I-Drone, ICMR, and first author of the study, said, “Building on the learnings from this feasibility study, we are now planning to initiate pilot implementation in coordination with the National Blood Transfusion Council, particularly targeting regions with difficult terrain where timely access to blood can be lifesaving. Further, this will help in making operational guidelines.”
The study said that considering India’s diverse and distinct topographical variations and geographical spread, last-mile service deliveries of healthcare supplies face multiple challenges. “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones are emerging technologies with the potential to leapfrog the last mile logistics solution for transporting medical supplies, thus strengthening the overall healthcare system,” it said.
“This study suggests that the blood and its components can be transported safely by drone following standard guidelines, which could be helpful, particularly in determining blood in emergencies and difficult terrains,” it added.
Highlighting that the travel time to carry blood and its components, which are critical for life-saving transfusions, but their availability at the point of care is often limited, was reduced by half via drone, the study said, “It strongly reinforces the feasibility and safety of using drones for blood delivery.”
“The present study indicates that drones can act as a powerful tool for bridging the gap between the blood supply and demand, ensuring that more patients receive the blood they need, when they need it,” it said.
“Overall, the experience gained during this study will help to develop strategies for transporting blood components via drones for faster and efficient delivery,” it added.
“In the future, drones could be an option to deliver other important and time-sensitive medical supplies, such as emergency drugs or any other pharmaceutical products,” the study further said.
However, the scientists had a word of caution.
“Even though the reduced response time achieved with UAVs can be lifesaving in critical situations, their usage must comply with technological constraints such as range, speed and capacity, while minimising potential risks. By systematically addressing the challenges occurring while implementing the EPIS (Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment) framework, healthcare organisations can increase the likelihood of successfully implementing and sustaining drone-based delivery services to improve healthcare access and outcomes.”