MYAGDI, March 27: The National Innovation Center (NIC) led by social entrepreneur Mahabir Pun has announced to launch its first invention, medical drones, in Myagdi district soon.

NIC has developed automatic drones in order to supply medicines to the health facilities in remote areas of the district. Two kinds of medical drones - one with eight wings and another with two, like the fixed wings of an airplane - are in the final stage of experiment in the lab, said Pun. "The drones will be flown for the first time in Myagdi in the first or second week of April," he added.

Pun further said that an agreement with the Ministry of Health (MoH) has been made to ferry medicines to and from the health posts and collect stool samples from the remote areas during an epidemic. "The drones can be used to supply medicines and emergency health equipment easily to such areas," he said. "We will work in coordination with the government agencies."

After the MoH identifies the places for using the drones, there will be coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and other line ministries, according to Pun. "However, it will take more time to be ready for supplying the medicines regularly," said Pun. "The drone will fetch medicines to the concerned place and return to the airport. We are planning to develop drones which can fly for about a distance of 20 kilometers."

Pun said that young scientists are busy in the lab with their electric, electronic and mechanical works. 

He informed Republica that the NIC has been planning to develop projects on electric vehicles and hydro projects. "We have established the Center to create environment for Nepali scientists working in different countries. We wish such scientists will return to the country for the national development," he said. 

Pun is busy collecting donations inside Nepal and from foreign countries for the NIC. The center has planned to produce electricity by investing Rs 500 million but it will take time to create the funds for it. Pun plans to produce 10MW electricity and sell it to collect funds within three years for the sustainable development of the NIC.

Pun, who was born in Annapurna Rural Municipality-8, studied higher education in the USA, started using wireless internet in the remote areas for telemedicine, agriculture and tourism. He, who received the Magsaysay Award in 2007, donated 28 ropanies of land purchased 28 years ago at Thulakot, near Begnas lake, of Kaski district.

 
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• medical
 
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