HEALTH

Tano South health personnel trained on Zipline medical drone
Health personnel in Tano South Municipality of Ahafo Region have been trained on the usage of the Zipline medical drone introduced in the country by the Nana Addo’s led government.

Date Created : 1/28/2020 2:14:55 AM : Story Author : Rosemond Kissiwaa/Ghanadistricts.com

The personnel were taken through the processes for the testing and diagnostics on the flight. In an interview, the medical superintendent of Bechem Government hospital, Dr. Agyei Darko, said personnel were drown from Bechem, Techimentia, Derma, New and Old Brosankro, Masin, Ada, Hiamanimguase 3, Masu, Breme and neighboring communities.

He explained the usage of the drone would ease the hustle the go through in getting access to drugs.The Ghana Health Service is working with Zipline, the drone company best known for starting blood delivery services in Rwanda.

Ghana’s health policymakers hope faster drop-offs will improve its health outcomes including reducing its maternal and infant mortality rates.

The medical drone program was officially launched on Wednesday Apr. 24, 2019 by Ghana’s vice president Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who first made the announcement two years ago.

The launch at Zipline’s Omenako center in Ghana (70 kilometers north of the capital, Accra) is the first of four centers it hoped to complete by the end of 2019. The drones will be able to travel to 500 health facilities within an 80-kilometer-range from the Omenako center in the Eastern Region which is stocked with emergency medicines, vaccines, blood and blood products.

The delivery program is also hoped will help reduce the incidence of wastage of medical products, a result of overstocking at hospitals.

The company is targeting the “last mile delivery” challenge which many logistics operators face in African cities and rural area where road networks are either underdeveloped or poorly maintained. Zipline is describing the Ghana operation as the world’s largest drone delivery service.