Do unmanned aerial vehicles reduce the duration and costs in transporting sputum samples? A feasibility study conducted in Himachal Pradesh, India. (4th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thakur, Vishal; Ganeshkumar, Parasuraman; Lakshmanan, Sundaramoorthy; Rubeshkumar, Polani
• Is Part Of: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Volume 116:Number 10(2022)
• Page Start: 971
• Page End: 973
• Publication Date: 2022-04-04
• Subjects: multidrug-resistant -- quasi-experimental studies -- sputum -- TB -- transportation; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trac021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-9203

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The feasibility of and advantages of using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for sputum transportation for TB in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India, were evaluated. Methods: We conducted a non-randomized interventional study and compared the advantages of sputum transport between UAVs and motorbikes (conventional). Results: We completed 151 transportations. Transportation by UAV (7.1±0.8 min) was faster than by motorbike (22.7±4.6 min, p<0.001). Motorbikes covered a greater distance (12.09±1.6 km) than UAVs (2.89±0.35 km, p<0.001). The recurrent cost per transport using an UAV (US${\$}$ 0.68) was less than by motorbike (US${\$}$ 1.4). All 26 stakeholders agreed that UAVs would reduce the turnaround time for diagnosis of drug-resistant TB. Conclusions: Sputum transportation by UAVs was feasible, cheaper and an efficacious potential alternative to conventional modes of transportation.