Meghalaya will introduce its first drone station for providinghealthcare services

Up until approximately a year ago, transporting pharmaceuticals to the Primary Health Centre
(PHC) at Pedaldoba in the West Garo Hills area of Meghalaya was difficult. From what is
thought to be India’s first drone station created specifically for medical use, a Vertiplane X3
customised drone delivers a consignment of medicines, vaccines, and other healthcare
essentials to the Pedaldoba PHC.
“To usher in a new era of transportation, the Meghalaya Government chose to capitalise on
the liberalised drone rules 2021 released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Because of our
State’s tough landscape and road system, we concentrated on public health logistics”, Health
Minister James P.K. Sangma said.
On November 26, 2021, a pilot project was launched from a civil hospital to two PHCs in the
West Khasi Hills district of the State. These PHCs are among the ones regarded as being the
most challenging to reach. Due to the concept’s success, the State government is now
working on the Jengjal Drone Station, which will be opened on Monday by Chief Minister
Conrad K. Sangma. Once operational, the drone station should provide all of the remote
healthcare facilities within a 50 km range with an effective mode of transportation.