MGUMST, in collaboration with Magic Myna, plans to establish a “Centre of Excellence” dedicated to drone technology
Taking what it said is a “significant step” towards adopting drone-based medical and security services, the Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology (MGUMST), Jaipur, Tuesday announced an initiative to transport medical supplies, cadaver organs, laboratory samples, security surveillance, and disaster relief operations through drones.
The university said that it is entering into an agreement with Rajasthan-based drone manufacturing company Magic Myna for the initiative. Company Director Sunil Soman Nair and its state representative, Ghanshyam, said that drone technology is already being successfully used in defence services, and necessary government approvals are being obtained for medical applications. They added that this collaboration with the Mahatma Gandhi University will be the first initiative of its kind in the state.
This center will focus on innovation, training, research, and the development of advanced drone-based services in the medical sector.
Chief Operating Officer of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Sukant Das, and Marketing Director Virendra Pareek said that drone technology will especially prove vital in the rapid transportation of cadaver organs. They said that organ transplantation is only possible within a limited time window after brain death. Until now, ambulances and administratively created green corridors have been used for this purpose. With drone technology, traffic congestion, distance, and time constraints can be eliminated, enabling organs to be transported safely between hospitals in significantly less time. This will substantially improve the success rate of organ transplants, they said.
Similarly, drone technology will bring a “revolutionary change” in the transportation of laboratory and diagnostic samples. Using temperature-controlled drone boxes, blood samples, biopsies, and other sensitive specimens can be delivered quickly to testing centers. This will help maintain sample integrity and ensure timely reports, preventing delays in patient treatment, Pareek said.
Additionally, drones will also be utilised for hospital security surveillance and patrolling. He said that in line with the spirit of Vocal for Local, the initiative also aligns with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and is set to become a landmark step towards making Rajasthan a leading state in technology-driven healthcare.
