Zipline increases capacity to meet demand

Zipline, the health tech drone company, is adding three more drones to complement its existing stock of 12 drones at its Omenase airfield in order to meet the increasing demand for medical deliveries and supply of medical essentials to health facilities in the Eastern Region.

The company started its operations with deliveries and supplies to two health institutions at Suhum and New Tafo, both in the Eastern Region and is now serving 100 facilties and expects to reach 500 by the end of the year.

Ever since it began work in April this year, Zipline has delivered over 909 medical essentials to health facilities in the Eastern Region, but it is yet to hit its expected target of 15 deliveries per day as contained in the contract it signed with the government.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Country Manager of Zipline, Mr Daniel Marfo, said as a part of services provided, about 200 life-saving blood essentials, vaccines and other medicines had been delivered to health centres in remote areas in the region.

Building capacity

In addition, Mr Marfo said, the company had to spend time training health workers at the beneficiary health centres on how the drone worked before flying to the facilities.

Zipline is expected to operate four airfields in the country: the first has been established at Omenako and is running, the second is expected to be set up in Mampong in the Ashanti Region and one each in the West Mamprusi District in the North East Region and Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.