Ministry Of Health Signs MOU To Deploy Drone Technology For Efficient Health Delivery
The Ministry of Health has signed a Letter of Intent with the
developer and operator of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, popularly known as
drones, to offer a drone-enabled supply chain solution in Ghana that
will ensure secure, reliable and timely deliveries of essential health
care products to hospitals and other health facilities.
The Service, which will be designed, installed and operated by
USA-based Zipline International Inc. in partnership with the Ghana
Health Service, will leverage technology to improve the supply chain of
critical medical supplies, reduce waste and save lives.
A Deputy Minister of Health, Hon Tina Mensah, signed on behalf of
Ghana while Keller Rinaudo, CEO of Zipline, signed for his company in
Accra on Monday 23rd April, 2018, in the presence of Vice President Dr
Mahamudu Bawumia, who has championed the governmental effort to ensure
the use of innovation and technology in public service delivery.
Zipline was one of the many companies with cutting-edge technology
who met and held discussions with the Vice President and the founders
and leaders of a number of Ghanaian ICT firms a few weeks ago during
H.E. Dr Bawumia’s working visit to Silicon Valley, California, USA.
A number of companies based in the ICT hub of Silicon Valley have
also indicated their readiness to explore partnership opportunities with
their Ghanaian counterparts after the trip to design and implement
Ghanaian solutions for Ghanaian challenges.
Speaking earlier in the day at the 2018 edition of the Ministry of
Health and Partners Health Summit, H.E. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had
indicated that government was exploring innovative ways, including the
use of drone technology, to make universal health care available to
every Ghanaian in a timely manner irrespective of location.
According to officials, Ghana will become the first country in West
Africa, and the largest in the world, to use such a delivery system when
it is fully deployed.
The system can also be employed to deliver other items such as urgent
letters, examination papers and election materials such as ballot
papers, officials maintain.
Addressing the media after the brief signing ceremony, which was
witnessed by officials from the National Blood Bank, Ghana Post and
Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Hon Tina Mensah extolled the virtues of
such a system for efficient health care delivery.
“Very soon we will be seeing some drones flying to hitherto hard to
reach areas of this country and thereby we will be saving lives. It will
have so many uses. For example, when there is an accident somewhere,
instead of transporting essential healthcare products by vehicle which
would take a lot more time, the drones can just deliver within the
shortest possible time, so lives could be saved.”
The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Anthony
Nsiah Asare, recounted how this technology has helped in the healthcare
delivery systems in Rwanda to the admiration of the global medical field
and was optimistic its introduction in Ghana will improve the
performance of the GHS.
He called for speedy implementation of the technology for efficient
healthcare delivery. Meanwhile, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has
pledged to create an air corridor for drones to prevent collisions with
aeroplanes and other larger aircraft.
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