Medicines, blood units to be supplied to tribal hospitals through drones in Andhra
Amaravati (PTI): The Andhra Pradesh Health and Medical Department on Thursday entered into an agreement with a private organisation to supply medicines and blood units to hospitals in remote tribal areas through drones.
The Paderu mandal in Alluri Sitharama Raju district will be the central hub of this initiative aimed at strengthening emergency medical services in far-flung tribal regions of the district and ensuring timely access to essential medicines and blood supplies.
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"We have signed an agreement with the 'Red Wing' organisation to operate drone-based medical supply services, with Paderu serving as the hub," Health and Medical Department Commissioner G Veerapandian said in an official press release.
He further said that the drone services will cater to Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres within a radius of 60 to 80 kilometres, with drones equipped with cold chain facilities and a payload capacity of about two kilograms.
In addition to transporting medicines and vaccines, the drones will also carry blood, stool and urine samples from health centres to laboratories for testing. According to Veerapandian, the drone services are expected to commence from January.
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Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University, Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ passes away at 63
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Mangaluru: Fr Melwin J Pinto SJ, Pro-chancellor of St Aloysius University Rector of St Aloysius Institutions, and Vice President of Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society (MJES), breathed his last on Friday, April 10. He was 63.
Born in 1963, Fr Melwin Pinto completed his schooling and college education at St Aloysius before joining the Jesuit order on June 20, 1981. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest on April 14, 1997.
Over the years, he held several academic qualifications, including an MA in English, a Master’s degree in Education, and diplomas in psychology and counselling as well as school administration.
He began his career in education as headmaster of St Joseph’s Primary School and High School in Hassan, serving between 1996 and 1999.
He later founded St Joseph’s Indian PU College and served as its principal until 2007. He subsequently served as headmaster of St Aloysius High School, Mangaluru, from 2007 to 2011, and later as principal of St Joseph’s PU College, Hassan, until 2012.
Fr Melwin Pinto also worked with Vatican Communications and Radio in Rome, contributing to its English desk for Asia and Indian languages.
He later served as superior and director of Fatima Retreat House in Valencia for two years from May 2017, before being appointed as superior of the Jesuit study home ‘Vidyaniketan’ in Dharwad.
He was also closely associated with the development of St Aloysius Institutions and played a key role in securing the status of a Deemed-to-be University. His contribution to the education sector and efforts towards innovation were widely acknowledged. He was known for maintaining close relations with people from all sections of society.
Legislative Council MLA Ivan D’Souza, in a statement, said the demise of Fr Melwin J Pinto was a huge loss to the educational and religious fields and had created a significant void in society.
Dakshina Kannada District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also expressed grief, stating that his service and contributions to education would always be remembered.
Details regarding the funeral are yet to be announced.
