Gov’t Postpones Drone Delivery Service for Healthcare

Government’s initiative to use drones to deliver essential health services to deprived communities would not be brought to fusion this year, as promised.

It had initially been mentioned at the 2018 Annual Health Summit in April 2018, that the delivery system would begin in September.

But the Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, speaking at a forum organised by the Africa Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), held in Accra, yesterday said, the move would take off in 2019.

“By early 2019, we will be joining Rwanda in using drones to deliver critical medical products. Blood products, medical cargo, emergency vaccines, lifesaving and other essential medicines on demand to every part of the country regardless of the terrain or road infrastructure,” Dr Bawumia said.

It can be recalled that the Vice President made a similar promise a few months ago after which government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kickstart the process.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) had also signed a Letter of Intent with US-based company, Zipline International Inc. to offer drone-enabled supply chain solution in Ghana for the secure, reliable and timely deliveries of essential health care products like blood and medicines to hospitals and other health facilities.

Dr. Bawumia did not give reasons for the change in schedule but emphasized that the government was keen on introducing other innovations to boost the country’s health sector.

Though lots of criticisms have hit government since it began plans to institute the drone service, other African countries have been successful in the implementation.

In Rwanda for instance, the drone service is reported to have saved thousands of women from death as a result of bleeding during childbirth.

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]