Drone delivers vaccine in Manipur,first in South-East Asia

A drone delivered vaccines to people living in Manipur's 'floating islands' in Loktak Lake, making India the first nation in Southeast Asia to send vaccines in an unmanned aerial craft. 'Floating islands' are chunks of hardened algae that float in the freshwater lake in Manipur's Moirang district.Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya o Monday virtually launched the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)’ initiative for ‘Drone-based vaccine delivery system’ in North-East India.

The ‘Make in India’ drone helped cover an aerial distance of 31 kilometers in almost 15 minutes, thereby transporting vaccines from Bishnupur District hospital to Karang Health Centre, Loktak Lake, Manipur. In his tweet Manipur CM N Birendra Singh said that such technology-driven initiative is being taken up to mitigate the difficulties in delivering the crucial vaccine in rough terrains.

This technology-driven initiative is being taken up to mitigate the difficulties in delivering the crucial vaccine in rough terrains.

We are committed to leave no stone unturned to save the precious lives of the people. pic.twitter.com/XTM7SKMCg3

— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) October 4, 2021

Mandaviya asserted that along with vaccine transportation, drone technology would speed up healthcare-related supply to the last mile and expand the supply scope of life-saving & emergency medicines.