In an Indonesia town, a “drone service” serves as a lifeline, bringing food and other supplies to Covid-19 patients under strict isolation.
PEOPLE are becoming more reliant on technology as the coronavirus pandemic pushes almost all sectors into uncertainty; proof to this was the rise of work from home arrangements, videoconferencing, and now drone service.
Since human contact is limited due to the potential hazards of the virus, especially now that its Delta variant is dominating most countries, a group of individuals in Indonesia found a way to help Covid-19 patients isolated at home.
Maximizing their aerial skills and mastery of drone technology, the 'Makassar Recover Drone Medic' team is working 24/7 to provide citizens a contactless delivery service of food and medicine in Makassar city in South Sulawesi province.
"I think the medicine received from a drone is more sterile," a Makassar resident, who is a Covid-19 patient and self-isolating, told Reuters news agency.
The initiative is made up of a seven-member team headed and founded by Muhammad Dasysyara Dahyar and has been in operation since July.
They have a total of five drones in operation.
Dahyar said that they are working hand in hand with Makassar’s coronavirus task force in delivering medicine at least five times a day.
He added that the group was able to service 25 rounds of deliveries in a just a day during a peak outbreak in July.
"This mission is a matter of pride. It's not every day that we are needed and participate in disaster management to tackle the spread of Covid-19," Dahyar emphasized.
Interisland deliveries
According to Makassar Mayor Mohammad Ramdhan Pomato, the local government plans to use the technology for interisland deliveries to nearby islands and similarly service around 800 people who are isolated in a ship off the coast of the city.
"The range of (a) drone is around seven kilometers (4.35 miles), so it is possible to reach the islands," said the local chief executive.
Reports also reveal that the drones are able to assist and monitor traffic in the city as well asthe movement of people, and by pinpointing which areas should be serviced with Covid-19 tests.
Vaccine deliveries
In other parts of the world, the use of drone technology is also gaining momentum, allowing organizations and private companies to deliver essential healthcare products or equipment such as Covid-19 vaccines to far flung areas.
Zipline, a US-based medical product delivery company, has been working with the government of Ghana and United Parcel Service (UPS) to deliver coronavirus vaccines in remote places around the country.
The innovation was able to help Ghana to speed up its vaccination efforts.
It only goes to show that when technology is equipped with the right intentions and a people-centered design, work becomes efficient thus more lives will be saved.
Tags: #Indonesia, #technology, #drones, #Covid19, #isolation