Vice President Bawumia Highlights Transformative Impact on Healthcare Access
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced that Ghana has become the world’s largest medical drone delivery service, significantly improving access to essential medical supplies, especially in remote and underserved areas.
During his tour of the Upper West Region, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the transformative impact of the medical drone delivery system. “Ghana has become the world’s largest medical drone delivery service,” he declared, highlighting the country’s leading role in leveraging technology to enhance healthcare services.
“When my father was admitted to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, we needed blood urgently after his operation. The blood bank was locked, and we couldn’t get the necessary supplies in time. Unfortunately, my father passed away by morning,” he recounted.
Motivated by this experience, Dr. Bawumia pursued the adoption of drone technology to prevent such tragedies. He visited San Francisco to meet with Zipline, the company behind the drone technology for their services in Ghana. This collaboration led to the establishment of six drone centers across the country, each averaging 100 flights per day to deliver medical supplies.
“The drones have dramatically improved emergency response times, ensuring that critical supplies reach those in need quickly and efficiently. They are delivering medicines, blood, vaccines, and saving lives every day,” Dr. Bawumia noted.
The success of the initiative has positioned Ghana as a global leader in medical drone delivery, reflecting the country’s commitment to innovative healthcare solutions. “What sets Ghana’s medical drone delivery service apart is its extensive reach and expertise developed by local operators. In Ghana, all the people running the drone centers are 100% Ghanaian,” Dr. Bawumia emphasized.
Dr. Bawumia highlighted that the success of Ghana’s drone program has garnered international attention, noting that Zipline’s headquarters in San Francisco recruited a Ghanaian to lead a team of drone flight operators.