Department of Health and Family Welfare officials complete drone GIS mapping and survey training at the Drone Centre of Excellence in Nagaland.
DIMAPUR — A drone geographic information system (GIS) mapping and survey training programme for officials of the Department of Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) concluded at the Drone Centre of Excellence (DCoE) in Kohima under the Nagaland GIS and Remote Sensing Centre (NGISRSC), Planning and Transformation department, on September 18.
The programme was conducted as a follow-up to the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed between NGISRSC and the H&FW Department on January 22 for integrating drone technology into the state's healthcare service framework, according to a DIPR report.
The training provided H&FW officials with practical exposure to drone survey planning, aerial data acquisition, orthophoto generation, GIS processing, and map composition, including field surveys at selected locations under the H&FW department.
Joint Director of the H&FW department Dr. Kika Longkumer, along with senior officials, attended the valedictory programme and visited the DCoE facilities, where they were given an overview of the centre's capabilities and ongoing training programmes.
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The officials also witnessed live demonstrations showcasing healthcare applications of drones, including the delivery of medicines and other essential medical supplies, as well as drone-based spraying applications for vector control and other public-health interventions.
The programme concluded with the distribution of certificates and felicitation of the trainees, followed by a meeting between senior officials of the H&FW department and NGISRSC to discuss the way forward in implementing the objectives of the MoA.
Discussions focused on further collaboration and the practical deployment of drone technology, GIS, and geospatial solutions in healthcare, particularly for the delivery of medicines and medical supplies to difficult-to-access areas, health-infrastructure mapping, disease-outbreak response, vector-control activities, and other applications aimed at strengthening healthcare planning and service delivery across Nagaland.