Tech in Africa
Medical drone logistics company Zipline has partnered with the UPS Foundation, a logistics giant, and Ghana’s government to distribute vaccines to various sites countrywide. Over 2.5 million doses of the vaccines are due for distribution to vaccine sites across Ghana.
This partnership will improve the speeds and direct access to the vaccines by providing an on-demand delivery system targeting the hardest places to reach. Zipline has set up regional nests (launch boxes) where UPS vehicles will move the doses to regional EPI cold points. The first batch of vaccines will be disseminated across the Ashanti, Accra, and central regions.
Once the drones reach a health facility or remote vaccination center they lower their altitude before releasing the payload. This parachutes to the ground landing safely in an accurate landing zone spread 3 meters wide.
All vaccine packages with the Covid-19 doses are insulated to ensure safe, precise, and efficient transportation to people across Ghana. Naa Adorkor Yawson, the GM of Zipline Ghana pointed out how the vaccines will reach areas with no cold chain equipment.
Nicole Clifton, President of the UPS Foundation pointed out the urgency of the “expertise” that UPS has developed in Healthcare Logistics.
Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO at Garvey highlighted the importance of each dose narrowing on the importance of support and tools delivering vaccines effectively to those who need it most.
Ghana is the first country globally to get the first wave of free Covax vaccines. Over 92 countries globally have signed up for the programme. More on Covax here.
