Drone sample testing is cutting TB diagnosis costs from ₹9,451 to ₹91 in Telangana’s Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district
A study by AIIMS Bibinagar reveals that using drones to transport sputum samples for TB testing significantly reduces costs for patients and cuts diagnosis time. The initiative, part of the ICMR's i-DRONE project, successfully streamlined the diagnostic process in Telangana's Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district.
Why it matters
This model demonstrates a scalable, cost-effective solution for improving healthcare access and diagnostic efficiency in remote, underserved regions.
A drone flight costing patients almost nothing could replace journeys that once left suspected tuberculosis (TB) patients spending an average of ₹9,451 out of their own pockets. A study by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bibinagar in Telangana has found that transporting sputum samples by drone reduced patients’ average expenditure to just ₹91 while cutting diagnosis time from 15 days to five days.
The article reports on a scientific study and public health initiative using factual data without emotive language.
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