{"id":6215,"date":"2022-01-25T02:10:57","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T02:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/25\/lifelabs-partners-with-drone-program-to-get-meds-to-remote-communities\/"},"modified":"2022-01-25T02:10:57","modified_gmt":"2022-01-25T02:10:57","slug":"lifelabs-partners-with-drone-program-to-get-meds-to-remote-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/25\/lifelabs-partners-with-drone-program-to-get-meds-to-remote-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"LifeLabs partners with drone program to get meds to remote communities"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Medical lab chain LifeLabs<\/a> has partnered with the University of British Columbia to investigate how drone delivery could improve healthcare in remote first-nation communities.<\/p>\n

The project sees LifeLabs join forces with the Stellat\u2019en First Nation, Village of Fraser Lake, the First Nations Health Authority (FHNA), the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), UBC\u2019s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences<\/a>, and Drone Delivery Canada (DDC).<\/p>\n

The study, dubbed the Drone Transport Initiative, is in its first phase with test deliveries of supplies and mock samples being moved by drone between Stellat\u2019en First Nations and Fraser Lake. Chief Robert Michell of Stellat\u2019en First Nation says that it\u2019s exciting to be at \u201cthe forefront of the technology,\u201d and that \u201cIt would be amazing in 10 years\u2019 time to see where this goes. This is definitely a first step, and we\u2019re proud to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

For decades remote first nations communities across Canada have been plagued by unequal access to sufficient healthcare because of travel constraints and issues with staff retention. These pressure points were further pressed upon with the COVID-19 pandemic as prompt sample testing became something more needed than ever before.<\/p>\n

Dr. John Pawlovich, Rural Doctors\u2019 UBC Chair in Rural Health describes the effort as a \u201d game-changer\u201d with the ability to \u201ctransform access and delivery for citizens who live in these communities.\u201d Dr. Pawlovich continued by saying \u201c[this isn\u2019t] going to happen overnight\u201d, but \u201cThe Drone Transport Initiative is our opportunity to start that journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

This project marks the first of its kind with trials only having just begun amongst the communities.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n