Kaduna Government, Zipline Make First Medical Drone Delivery

An instant logistic company, Zipline, had on Friday completed its first medical drone delivery to health facilities in Kaduna State.

Senior Vice President of Africa of Zipline, Daniel Marfo, who announced this in a statement in Lagos, said flights mark the final stage of integration with the local health systems and validation with the regulatory authorities.

He said that Zipline and the Kaduna State Government expect to deliver medical supplies to hundreds of health facilities to help create a more agile, responsive and accessible health system, subject to final regulatory approval.

Marfo said that the plan is to cover an area of 46,000 square kilometres, delivering to approximately 500 health facilities serving millions of people, as it plans to deliver more than 200 different medical products, including medicines and routine vaccines, with plans to expand to more soon.

“The company and its partners pioneered this model with the government of Ghana; to date, they have successfully delivered more than 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccines across the country.

“Today marks Zipline’s first deliveries in Nigeria, home to both the largest economy and population on the continent.

“Its operation will begin with test flights delivering medical supplies to health facilities as part of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority’s final approval process.

Marfo who quoted Governor Nasir El-Rufai during the commissioning said Zipline had a proven track record of health system transformation.

“Today, we’re making our first flights to pave the way toward bringing this proven service to Kaduna State.

“We are proud to be the very first state in Nigeria to adopt this innovative supply chain to support our efforts in healthcare delivery.

“Zipline’s system is a powerful next step in Kaduna State’s ongoing efforts to create a smarter, stronger health system that better serves everyone in our state,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of Kaduna State, the commissioner of Health in the state, Amina Mohammed-Baloni, said “Investment in the supply chain makes health systems more efficient, effective and equitable.

“Today’s flights are an important step toward ensuring people across Kaduna State have access to the care they need, precisely when and where they need it to drive better health outcomes and foster healthier communities.”