AIIMS Bhopal Drone That Promised Lifeline to Tribal Villages Lies Abandoned

In February 2024, AIIMS Bhopal launched a Rs 10 lakh drone to transform rural healthcare, delivering medicines to remote villages within 50–100 km free of cost, five days a week. Its first flight reached Gauharganj PHC, 39 km away, in just 20 minutes and returned with a blood sample—a feat celebrated as a healthcare revolution. Officials promised rapid expansion to serve tribal areas with poor road access, positioning the project as a national model for tech-driven medical logistics.

Twenty months on, the drone sits locked in a room, unused and forgotten. The trained operator returned from injury leave to find the project halted without notice. No further trials, no schedule, and no explanation have followed. Once a symbol of innovation, it now stands as evidence of bureaucratic neglect and unfulfilled promises.

Dr. Vikas Gupta, Medical Superintendent, calls the trial a success but admits progress has stalled. He says plans exist to extend the range to 200 km using advanced drones, and an Expression of Interest has been issued to private firms. However, funding, approvals, and technical upgrades remain pending, with no clear timeline.

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The pilot ran on a company’s free support, but scaling needs budget and government backing—both still absent. Patients in Madhya Pradesh’s remote areas continue facing long, costly journeys for basic care, untouched by the drone’s potential.

For families like Zahida Khan and Adarsh Tiwari, the grounded drone means lost hope. “It would save time, money, and suffering,” they say. What began as a bold vision has become another casualty of systemic delays—leaving rural patients waiting, while the future stays locked away.

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