GPS Tracking For Medicine Delivery

• 15 Jun 2024

Why in News?

In order to strengthen its supply chain and facilitate smooth delivery of medicines, the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSCL), responsible for procuring and distributing quality tested drugs and medical equipment to government health facilities in the state, has announced deployment of Global Positioning System (GPS) based tracking system.

Key Points

• In its latest order, CGMSCL has mandated the installation of GPS enabled devices on all its vehicles. The GPS data coupled with the in-house DPDMIS application enables easy tracking of any shipment from warehouse to facilities, thus determining accurate location and estimate approximate time of delivery.
• CGMSCL over the years has taken several initiatives to strengthen its supply chain primarily by augmenting the features of its in-house software DPDMIS (Drug Procurement and Distribution Management Information Systems), increasing efficiency of its warehouses and by operating vehicles for medical supplies to all hospitals.
• One of the key objectives of CGMSCL is to ensure availability of required medicines at the right place.
  • GPS based vehicle tracking system aims to aid store in-charges, warehouse managers and top management with features like real-time tracking, Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) and proof of delivery.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

• The GPS was initiated by the US Department of Defense in 1973.
• GPS operates through satellite-transmitted radio signals at specific frequencies (L1 and the L2 frequencies at 50 bits/second), received and triangulated by GPS receivers, enabling precise location determination in three dimensions of space and one of time.