All you need to know about ‘Human Organ Transportation Drone’

New Delhi, Sep 06: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had recently unveiled India's first prototype of drone transportation of human organs to facilitate quick organ transplant in hospitals.

The use of drones in moving the harvested organs from the airport to the hospital, as against the present mode of transporting them by road from airport, will reduce considerable time.

Gadkari, while unveiling the prototype virtually from New Delhi, said, "Understanding the importance of speed and seamless transport of organs, we will soon need innovation in the logistics of transportation of organs. And one such welcome suggestion is the use of drones."

"This is a very innovative approach to solve the problem of transportation and I appreciate MGM Healthcare in being part of the research and development," he said.

Gadkari pointed out that the issue of logistics for organ transportation can be resolved through better land and air connectivity and said his ministry had already initiated measures to improve the infrastructure. Road infrastructure projects like the Bharatmala Pariyojana, a new umbrella programme for highways sector, will be a great asset to transport organs across India.

What is the 'Human Organ Transportation Drone'?

Organ Transportation requires significant coordination between transplant coordinators, organ donation organisations, recipients and donor hospital and transportation couriers.

Due to unwanted circumstances, when shipment is inefficient or prolonged, organs experience increased cold ischaemia time which can further result in fatality. And to defend such circumstances, the human organ transportation drone can be a boon.

MGM மருத்துவமனையில் 500க்கும் மேற்பட்ட இதய மற்றும் நுரையீரல் மாற்று அறுவை சிகிச்சை மேற்கொண்டதற்கு பாரட்டுவிழா மிகச் சிறப்பாக நடைபெற்றது. #Masubramanian #TNHealthminister #HeartTransplant #LiverTransplant @MGMHealthcare pic.twitter.com/9zDDBlqmBa

— Subramanian.Ma (@Subramanian_ma) September 3, 2022

Chennai-based drone company

The prototype of unmanned aerial vehicles to provide aid to human organ transplantation is co-created by MGM Healthcare. Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan, the hospital director, informed the media that the transportation of human organs will be done by a Chennai-based drone company.

Transport time

The transport time will be shorter and the expressway will be greenfield alignment and operated with a close door system.

Incidentally, the record 500-plus heart and lung transplants is the highest number performed by one team in the entire Asia Pacific region, according to the hospital.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian commended the prototype and said this would pave the way for more lives to be saved. He assured all support to make it operational soon.

"Chennai and MGM Healthcare is a frontrunner in the organ transplant programme and is at par with the very best in the world today," he said.

For its part, the government has permitted all state-run medical college hospitals and district headquarters hospitals to harvest organs. "Soon, these hospitals would start transplants," Subramanian said.

514 heart and lung transplants successfully completed

Dr Balakrishnan said 514 heart and lung transplants were successfully completed and this included over 200 transplants over the last two years despite lockdowns and COVID-19.

"This was possible due to the tremendous support and expertise of the team, government bodies and transport teams," he said.

Infrastructure and support by MGM Healthcare also helped him to treat over 350 ECMO patients - the highest in the country. The team had also performed over 100 paediatric transplants and over 4,600 interventional cases, free of cost in association with Aishwarya Trust - 'Caring for Little Hearts' and completed over 220 procedures under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's scheme, he said.