Chennai : Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today unveiled India’s first ‘prototype’ drone technology co-created by the Chennai- based speciality hospital MGM Healthcare, aimed at revolutionising last mile transportation of human organs for transplants.
At an event organised by the hospital to felicitiate Dr K R Balakrishnan, Chairman – Cardiac Sciences, Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, and his team for successfully performing more than 500 lung and heart transplants, the Union Minister, in his address through video-conferencing from Delhi, said the MGM Healthcare is exploring the innovative approach of using drones to transport organs for transplant.
He said construction of highways has significantly reduced the travel time betweenvarious cities like Chennai-Bengaluru helping quick and swift transportation of human organs for transplantation surgeries. Using of drones will help in reducing the transportation time of organs from the airport, he said.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma.Subramanian commended the prototype and said this would pave the way for more lives to be saved and ensured all support to make it operational soon. Later talking to reporters Hospital Director Prashanth Rajagopalan MGM Healthcare is exploring the possibility of using drones to transport organs from the Chennai Airport to the hospital.