Mumbai's Fortis Hospital plans to use drones for emergency transplants
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In a bid to save lives and time, the Mulund branch of Fortis hospitals has been planning to collaborate with IIT-Bombay to use drones which can transport hearts in case of emergency transplants.
Addressing a gathering at last night, Head of cardiac transplant team Dr Anvay Mulay said that the hospital with the help of IITians has been planning to make use of drones to transport hearts from one location to another.
"This will reduce the time taken in the present traffic congestion in Mumbai. The weight of the heart is very less and the deadline for its transplant is very short and hence we have to compete with time," he said.
Mulay said that the entire project was in the planning stage and the requisite permits from various agencies including police and airport authorities would be obtained soon. Once this is through, we can expect the time taken for transporting the heart to reduce considerably, he claimed to add a record 23 heart transplants were carried out by Fortis Mulund during the last one year.
BJP MP and also former actor Shatrughan Sinha was the chief guest at the function organised to mark the first anniversary of a heart transplant in the city.
Dr Avinash Seth, Director of FORTIS, Raj Gore, COO-Region, West and South of Fortis Healthcare, and Dr S Narayani, Zonal Director Fortis Hospital, Mulund were also present at the occasion.
To celebrate their new lives, first heart recipient Anwar Khan and 8-year-old girl Madhavi Vishwakarma, who were among the 19 heart recipients, were felicitated.
On the occasion, a "Wall of Tribute" naming 23 heart donors from across the country was inaugurated by Sinha. Also, an eight-bedded cardiac surgery and heart transplant Intensive Care Unit at the Mulund facility was inaugurated.
Pledging support to the cause, Sinha and his wife Poonam called upon citizens to come forward and educate fellowmen about the importance of organ donation. The actor couple said that they have already pledged their eyes and will soon do so for their organs.
"It is the best thing to do for the health of our nation. If the health of our people is strong then the country remains strong. I salute those who make these transplants possible and that too in a time bound manner, especially the police who co-ordinate all the things," Sinha said.
