AFMS Deploys Drones to Deliver Blood and Medicines in Remote Areas
According to Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), the agency is actively investigating the use of drone technology to transport medications, blood bags, and other vital medical supplies to hilly and difficult-to-reach areas.
Vice Admiral Sarin emphasized the AFMS’s efforts to incorporate contemporary technologies, such as telemedicine, artificial intelligence (AI), point-of-care devices, and drones, to improve healthcare delivery throughout the armed forces during a commissioning ceremony for five medical cadets held on Saturday at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.
“We are looking at using drone technology for the supply of blood bags, medicines, and other medical equipment. In fact, we are hoping for a day when even medical evacuations can be carried out using drones,” she said.
In remote and mountainous regions where conventional delivery methods are constrained by terrain and access issues, the technology is presently being evaluated for a pilot project. She went on to say that a number of civilian non-military organizations are already using these drone applications.
Additionally, Vice Admiral Sarin stated that the AFMS is responsible for overseeing the health needs of each of the four astronauts on the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. Among them is the mission’s commercial crew member, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla. The Institute of Aviation Medicine is in charge of primary healthcare support in the United States, she said, and an Indian Air Force Group Captain is stationed in Houston, Texas, to make sure the crew is healthy and prepared for medical emergencies.
AFMC Commandant Lt Gen Pankaj Rao also underlined the organization’s dedication to adopting technology innovations in all areas of healthcare, from advanced treatment modalities to illness prevention.
Five medical cadets were commissioned, four of whom were inducted into the Indian Army and one into the Indian Air Force, according to a press release from AFMC.
The statement also emphasized AFMC’s ongoing dedication to research, innovation, and training at the undergraduate and graduate levels through partnerships with prestigious domestic and foreign organizations. According to the statement, this collaboration has created a vibrant atmosphere for medical innovation and established AFMC as a premier hub for multidisciplinary medical education.
The Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms at AFMC’s Genome Sequencing Laboratory serve as a noteworthy illustration of this development. Accurate identification of rare genetic disorders and molecular profiling of cancers are made possible by this state-of-the-art facility, which supports precision research and diagnostics in fields like inherited diseases, oncology, transplant medicine, and reproductive health.
A major advancement in military medical science has also been made with the launch of more than a dozen molecular research projects by the Department of Medical Research and the Multi-disciplinary Research Unit at AFMC.
The school also highlighted how a crucial part of its curriculum is medical simulation training, which mimics actual clinical and combat situations and is designed to prepare aspiring military physicians for the challenges of field medicine.
CEO, Mavdrones
Pradipta V Mukherjee is the visionary CEO of Mavdrones & Drone Pathshala, driving innovation and growth in the drone industry. With a passion for advanced technology, he leads the company's strategic direction, ensuring Mavdrones stays at the forefront of drone solutions. Under his leadership, Mavdrones has achieved remarkable success, including winning the 'Best Innovation and Technology in Drone Industry' award from ASSOCHAM. Pradipta is committed to revolutionizing the industry through advanced UAV technology, fostering a culture of excellence and forward-thinking within the organization.
