Researchers/Research Agencies involved
ICMR-Hq, New Delhi: i-DRONE team and AIIMS, Bibinagar, Hyderabad, Telangana; District Medical Officer, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Telangana
Project Rationale
This project checks for the feasibility of using drones for transferring the sputum samples from rural tribal areas of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district (SCs/PHCs/CHCs/) directly to higher district TB units thus bypassing the in-between designated microscopy centres (DSCs) for efficient TB diagnosis, reducing the patient Turn Around Time (TAT) and further making the facility more patient compliant.
Background of the study
Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district is located in Telangana state of India which is mainly forest forest-covered region with tribal populations spread across the entire region. The PHCs catering to these tribal populations are often located in quite remote locations, whereas the suspected TB samples can only be diagnosed at the facilities available in district-designated TB units (much far from the remote locations). Therefore, the rural tribal communities are either hesitant to approach the designated TB units situated far away during the early stages of the disease or it is difficult to transport the samples which often is time-consuming. Therefore, despite having designated facilities available for TB at district hospitals/ CHCs, either the difficult terrain (forests and highlands) or the poor accessibility for tribal populations makes it difficult for the community to reap the proper and timely healthcare services.
Outcomes of the Study
The project would be able to validate the hypothesis that the timely delivery of sputum samples using drones will reduce the patient Turn Around Time (TAT) and hence lead to an effective disease management platform.
Importance of the study
After the successful completion of this project, the technology can further be explored for scaling up to look for its wider applicability for transportation of suspected disease samples from hard-to-reach difficult terrains to nearby healthcare facilities for efficient and early disease diagnosis and treatment.
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