Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Update on NTEP
ICMR Study Finds Drone-Assisted TB Sample Transport Reduces Diagnosis Time from 15 Days to 5 Days and Patient Expenditure from ₹9,451 to ₹91
ICMR's i-DRONE Initiative Cuts TB Diagnosis Time by Two-Thirds and Reduces Patient Costs by Over 99%
प्रविष्टि तिथि:
04 AUG 2026 4:08PM by PIB Delhi
As per the latest study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under its i-DRONE initiative, drone-assisted transport of tuberculosis (TB) sputum samples has been found to significantly reduce the time and cost of TB diagnosis in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The study, conducted in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar and the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), demonstrated that the median turnaround time for TB diagnosis was reduced from 15 days to 5 days, while the mean out-of-pocket expenditure incurred by patients decreased from approximately Rs 9,451/- to Rs 91/-, thereby improving timely access to TB diagnostic services.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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SR
HFW/PQ- Update on NTEP /4 August 2026/4
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