In collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the study analysed healthcare data from 191 health facilities in the Ashanti Region, including hospitals, health centres, and Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, between 2017 and 2022.

The findings reveal a direct link between reliable medical supply availability and improved health system utilisation, leading to a 56.4% reduction in maternal deaths at facilities served by Zipline compared to facilities not served by Zipline.

By ensuring consistent access to critical medicines and supplies, Zipline’s drone deliveries caused more expectant mothers to seek antenatal care and deliver in health facilities under skilled supervision.

Using a mixed-method approach, GHS and Zipline researchers assessed how drone logistics affect maternal health outcomes, examining changes in healthcare providers’ and patients’ satisfaction, perceived quality of care, and overall experiences with drone logistics.

They found that faster, more reliable treatment fostered greater confidence in the health system, driving a 19.9% increase in antenatal visits and a 25% rise in facility-based deliveries.

Simply––more births now occur under skilled care, reducing complications and improving survival rates.

This surge in facility-based childbirths and timely emergency interventions contributed to the significant reduction in maternal mortality observed.

The study also found that the availability of critical medications including blood products, oxytocin, and anti-snake venom improved significantly, reducing stockouts that previously led to unnecessary referrals and delays in emergency care.

Before Zipline’s intervention, healthcare facilities in the Ashanti Region faced frequent shortages of essential medicines, delaying emergency treatments and increasing maternal and neonatal complications.

By ensuring that medical supplies were consistently stocked, Zipline’s drone delivery system played a crucial role in addressing these persistent challenges.

Both patients and healthcare providers reported significant improvements in healthcare delivery. With better access to essential medicines and supplies, facilities could treat more patients effectively, reducing unnecessary referrals and improving overall care efficiency.

Healthcare providers noted that faster, more reliable treatment strengthened emergency response capacity, particularly for obstetric and neonatal cases, and increased patient trust in the system.

As a result, more people sought care earlier, reducing complications and the need for urgent hospital transfers.

Additionally, reduced transportation costs and time savings for healthcare workers contributed to overall cost efficiencies within the health system.

Ghana’s strategic approach to healthcare logistics has reinforced the resilience of its health supply chains.

By integrating drone-enabled medical deliveries nationwide, the government has ensured that critical medicines reach hospitals, health centres, and CHPS compounds within minutes, preventing stockouts, improving health outcomes, and increasing patient confidence in the health system.

The study’s findings highlight the country’s commitment to leveraging technology to bridge gaps in healthcare access, particularly in remote and underserved communities.

“These results demonstrate Ghana’s commitment to enhancing healthcare access and delivery through technology and innovation,” said Mrs Susana Nkrumah Ghana Health Service (GHS) District Director of Health Services for Sekyere Central. “By collaborating with partners like Zipline, we are ensuring that all Ghanaians, regardless of their location, receive timely medical assistance.”

The study’s release comes as global supply chain disruptions raise concerns about the availability of essential medical commodities and whether African governments can effectively navigate these challenges.

Ghana’s proactive investment in logistics infrastructure, including its partnership with Zipline, has proven to be a strategic decision helping to mitigate disruptions, maintain reliable access to medical supplies, and strengthen public confidence in the healthcare system.

“The ability to move medical supplies efficiently has never been more important,” said Daniel Kwaku Merki, Head of Zipline Ghana. “By ensuring essential medicines reach healthcare facilities on time, Zipline continues to support the government in strengthening public confidence in the health system. This ensures citizens trust their access to life-saving preventative care and treatments, despite global supply chain challenges

The full research study is now available for download. 

The post Ghana: With Drone Deliveries Zipline Reduces Maternal Deaths by 56.4% appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2022, Zipline’s climate-friendly and time-saving aircraft – designed to enable access for vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations – have delivered millions of  vaccine doses, essential medicines, and more than 260 types of health products to more than 900 hospitals, health facilities and community drop points.

Across Africa, Zipline has invested to build local infrastructure and human capacity, creating more than 500 local jobs in robotics, healthcare, software engineering, and business disciplines.

On September 26, at the United Nations General Assembly, Zipline and the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will announce a plan to deploy Zipline’s drone delivery service across the country to reduce maternal mortality, malnutrition, malaria and other intractable health challenges.

This project will build a more resilient logistics system that enables access to high quality, reliable healthcare for a substantial portion of the country’s non-urban population and improves the health system’s ability to respond to disasters and emergencies.

The partnership aims to create a sustainable financing framework to attract commitments from global health, economic development, and climate funders to establish autonomous drone infrastructure around the country in strategically determined locations, and to enable the operation of these drone networks through hiring, training and empowerment of local talent.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has partnered with Zipline since 2016 and supports vaccine programs in Nigeria; the Elton John AIDS Foundation has collaborated with Zipline in Kenya since 2022 to bring HIV services to young adults outside of traditional health settings.

Together, they are seeding the vision for this new partnership in Nigeria by coming in as the first financial backers.

It underscores their commitment to innovative, collaborative approaches, using creative financing mechanisms to transform health outcomes for key communities, with a focus on young people.

“It is this sort of partnership – one that brings tens of millions of dollars of foreign investment, turns Nigeria into a global AI and robotics powerhouse, and creates jobs of the future for its youth – that will reshape Nigeria and the world over the coming years,” Zipline CEO and co-founder Keller Rinaudo Cliffton said.

Since coming into office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has introduced a package of reforms to improve Nigeria’s security, strengthen public services and bolster the business environment. In October 2023, he launched the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) to transform the country’s healthcare ecosystem. Under the leadership of National Coordinator Dr. Abdu Mukhtar, PVAC is making strides to increase local healthcare manufacturing, reduce medical tourism, and create quality jobs in the nation.

“This new Memorandum of Understanding will dramatically advance PVAC’s goals,” said Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigerian Minister of Health and Social Welfare, previously Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank Group. “Scaling Zipline’s infrastructure nationwide can digitize, modernize, equalize and raise the quality of healthcare services available to all Nigerians, while at the same time propelling our country into a new era of economic prosperity, climate resilience and global technological leadership.”

With its zero-emissions, AI-powered logistics system and commitment to local job creation, Zipline demonstrably helps surmount obstacles to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Nowhere are the benefits of on-demand drone delivery more apparent than in healthcare, encompassed by SDG 3.

Today, in the areas that Zipline serves, a doctor or community healthcare worker can get blood, vaccines, drugs and other medical supplies in as little as 10 minutes.

A second arrangement between Zipline and the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria will extend the envisioned national partnership’s benefits to address sectors beyond healthcare, including agriculture, education and disaster relief.

 Continue reading here>>>>

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Funded by the Gates Foundation, the report titled “Leading Innovations Enabling Health Product Access in Africa’‘, finds that, amid difficult macro- economic realities and dwindling investment in African technology ecosystems, a select number of African health innovators are emerging as leaders.

Having operated for 10 years on average, the 24 leading innovators collectively now partner with 100+ manufacturers and 75 public health institutions, reaching around 50,000 providers (who serve hundreds of thousands of patients per day) and delivering health products to millions of consumers directly.

Kasha made news capturing Series B investment last year, and has since gone on to build its health technology access platform and report annual revenues of more than $50 million in 2023 – the highest ever recorded by Salient’s research to date.

Like Kasha, innovators that offer digitally-enabled Order and Inventory Management services to hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and drug shops appear dominant amongst the leading companies, making up 13 of the 24 featured innovations, with operations in 30 countries.

Four leading Online Pharmacies are reaching nearly 10 million customers and generating median annual revenues of nearly $9M.

The other categories featured are innovations in Product Protection and Visibility, Medical Drone Delivery and Data Analytics.

While leading innovators now appear positioned to deliver more substantive impact, they require targeted engagement from governments, donors, industry and global health institutions to transform access for unserved populations and improve the cost-effectiveness of care.

To leverage leading innovators’ models in driving increases in access, governments, industry, donors and global health agencies should: simplify regulatory pathways; explore innovators’ ability to generate cost- savings for health systems, pursuing partnerships when the evidence is strong; and evolve contracting and payment systems to enable innovators to partner in healthcare delivery systems at larger scale.

The 24 leading innovators featured are (in alphabetical order):

1. Chefaa,
2. DrugStoc,
3. Field Inc,
4. Figorr,
5. Grinta,
6. HealthPlus,
7. Kasha,
8. LifeBank,
9. Maisha Meds,
10. Meditect,
11. mPedigree,
12. MYDAWA,
13. Pendulum,
14. PharmaSecure,
15. Remedial Health,
16. RxAll,
17. Sobrus,
18. Sproxil,
19. Talamus Health,
20. VIA Global Health,
21. Viebeg,
22. Wingcopter,
23. Yodawy and
24. Zipline.

Speaking on the launch of the report, Yomi Kazeem, engagement manager at Salient Advisory, commented:

‘’The findings underscore the remarkable resilience and growing impact of African supply chain innovators. Having tracked healthtech startups for many years, the emergence of a group of leading innovators is exciting to report. Local and global public health communities must increasingly recognize and leverage the innovators in developing reliable and resilient health supply chains.”

Ann Allen, Senior Program Officer at Gates Foundation, commented:

“Technology-enabled innovations have the potential to help reverse long-running challenges in African health systems, while creating local jobs and strengthening local health markets. The report confirms innovators are increasingly positioned to deliver on this promise. However, there is more to be done as leveraging these innovations to truly transform cost-effective access for millions of unserved Africans will require concerted efforts from governments, industry and global health agencies alike.”

To download the full market intelligence report, please click here.

The post 24 Health Supply Chain Innovators Identified as Market Leaders across Africa appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This partnership aims to increase blood supplies through a series of comprehensive initiatives, leveraging the strengths and reach of both organizations to save more lives.

Despite the importance of a reliable blood supply for effective healthcare delivery, recent data has revealed a troubling trend of low voluntary blood donations in Ghana.

In 2021, only 26% of the 173,938 units of donated blood were collected from the general public (as opposed to family members and immediate friends of the recipients), and in 2022, this percentage slightly decreased to 25.3% of the 179,765 blood donations.

To combat this issue, Zipline, as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, has been actively working over the past several years to increase the availability of blood at various hospitals in the countries where it operates.

In 2023, for example, Zipline collaborated with the National Blood Bank in Ghana to organize 41 blood drives throughout Ghana, successfully collecting a total of 2,780 blood units.

Similarly, Zipline’s work with the Rwandan blood system has translated to a 55% reduction in maternal mortality, according to a study by The Wharton School.

“We are committed to addressing the critical blood supply needs in Ghana. Our partnership with CorpsAfrica will significantly amplify our efforts, enabling us to reach more communities and save more lives,” said Miki Sofer, senior VP of Partnerships at Zipline.

Zipline and CorpsAfrica will collaborate with the National Blood Service to coordinate monthly blood drives at different locations nationwide.

This partnership aims to organize roughly 80 blood drives in 2024 – a substantial increase of more than 100% from what Zipline organized in 2023. The effort is expected to yield about 6,000 blood units.

“CorpsAfrica is thrilled to collaborate with Zipline on this vital initiative,” says Liz Fanning, founder and Chief Executive Officer of CorpsAfrica. “CorpsAfrica Volunteers across Ghana are eager to support these blood drives, enhancing sensitization campaigns, and mobilizing community support.”

The partnership looks forward to engaging community volunteers in various districts within the Zipline operational areas in Ghana (Omenako, Ashanti Mampong, Vobsi, Sefwi Wiawso, Anum and Kete Krachi) to actively participate in awareness campaigns aimed at promoting the importance of blood donation. Church groups, schools, and members of local communities are largely targeted to participate in this exercise.

Beyond the blood drives, the partners will also conduct awareness programs and provide training to healthcare professionals on effectively utilizing different blood components, such as Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), for specific medical situations.

By enhancing the understanding and awareness of Zipline and CorpsAfrica’s capabilities, more health facilities can leverage the support offered in accessing essential blood products when needed.

“We encourage everyone within the region to be on the lookout for our publicity materials announcing dates and locations for the next blood drive. Together, let’s work to make blood available to save the lives of those who need it the most,’’ said Sofer.

The post Zipline Partners with CorpsAfrica to Address Critical Blood Supply Needs in Ghana appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This historic milestone was marked by the delivery of two bags of IV fluid from a Zipline distribution center in Ghana to a local health facility.

Renowned for its innovative approach to designing, building, and operating autonomous delivery drones, Zipline’s zero-emission technology has garnered acclaim, covering over 70 million commercial miles across four continents.

Backed by investments surpassing several millions of dollars from notable supporters like Sequoia Capital, a16z, and Google Ventures, Zipline has firmly established itself as a disruptive leader in the industry.

Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, the CEO  of Zipline, emphasizes the company’s commitment to key markets such as healthcare, quick commerce, and food delivery, envisioning a future where Zipline achieves 1 million deliveries per day.

“The three areas where the incentive really makes the most sense today are health care, quick commerce, and food,” underscoring Zipline’s commitment to partnering with top brands and institutions to transform the future of logistics using autonomous drones”, said Cliffton.

In Africa, Zipline has made a profound impact, forging significant partnerships across the continent. In Ghana alone, which accounts for about 54% of the one-millionth delivery milestone, Zipline’s collaboration with the government and health ministry has been pivotal.

Since its inception, Zipline has completed over 540,000 drone delivery flights across Ghana, encompassing the delivery of crucial supplies, including 3,566,500 units of vaccines, 2,825,210 units of medical products, 14,807 units of blood products, and 18,289 units of animal health products.

These deliveries have directly impacted the lives of over 17 million Ghanaians across 13 regions, saving 6,014 lives through emergency deliveries, including blood products and snake antivenom since 2019.

Beyond mere statistics, the company has facilitated the delivery of 12.2 million vaccine doses, including 2.8 million Covid-19 vaccines, leading to a 21% increase in vaccination coverage and a 44% reduction in missed opportunities to vaccinate in Ghana.

These efforts have potentially saved 727 lives due to increased vaccination coverage. Additionally, Zipline’s infrastructure expansion in Ghana, with six distribution centers strategically located across the country, has enabled swift and efficient on-demand drone delivery services.

Not only this, the technology has facilitated the vaccination of 104,000 cattle against Anthrax in northern Ghana, safeguarding both human and animal lives.

Such interventions have also extended to the agricultural sector, where 10.4 million doses of poultry vaccines have been delivered to poultry farmers nationwide, combating diseases such as Newcastle disease, Fowl pox, and Gumboro.

But Zipline’s impact in Africa extends far beyond Ghana’s borders. Operating in Rwanda, Kenya, Côte D’Ivoire, and Nigeria, the company has become a beacon of hope for healthcare accessibility and disease prevention. In Rwanda, Zipline serves as a lifeline, delivering 75% of the country’s blood supply outside of Kigali, drastically reducing maternal mortality rates due to postpartum hemorrhage by 88%. Additionally, the company’s deliveries of agricultural products have elevated farmers’ fertility rates by 10% compared to the national average.

In Kenya, Zipline’s collaborations with the Elton John AIDS Foundation have facilitated the delivery of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment products, empowering individuals to manage their health effectively.

Similarly, in Nigeria, Zipline’s expansive coverage encompasses over 500 health facilities in Kaduna, more than 350 in Cross River State, and 200 in Bayelsa.

Teaming up with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Zipline focuses on reaching children in remote regions, ensuring equitable access to life-saving immunizations.

Zipline’s adaptive approach and tailored delivery services reflect its commitment to meeting the diverse needs of populations and sectors.

The achievement of the one millionth delivery milestone underscores its dedication to enhancing healthcare outcomes and addressing societal needs across Africa.

As Zipline continues to innovate and expand its reach, it is poised to shape the future of healthcare delivery on the continent and beyond.

The post Zipline Hits One Millionth Delivery Milestone appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Health facilities in communities around the Ogoja local government have lauded the government’s partnership with Zipline as vital to reshaping the landscape of medical supplies in remote areas.

In an interview with healthcare professionals at some Zipline-serviced facilities, they indicate that Zipline is changing lives by ensuring that life-saving medications and health supplies are delivered promptly and efficiently to the most isolated corners of the State.

This, they say is particularly evident in the Ijiraga and Mfuma Primary Health Centers, which previously struggled with frequent medication shortages and delayed restocking, compromising patient care.

However, since the collaboration with the federal state, these centres are now able to offer efficient and reliable healthcare services to their patients.

Commenting on his experience, Mr. Augustine Okpotu, the Director at the Ijiraga Primary Health Centre, said,

“Zipline’s drone technology has been a game-changer; it has addressed the core parameters of primary healthcare: affordability, availability, and accessibility. This is because the Zipline drone technology has reduced the cost of us moving out of the facility to buy drugs. Even now that fuel is scarce and there are restrictions on transportation, we find it very easy to access the required medical products. We don’t have to travel anymore; with just a phone call or a text message, we receive the required drugs promptly, overcoming obstacles like fuel scarcity and transportation restrictions.”

Mr. Augustine added,

“Previously, people were reluctant to come to the primary health care facilities because of the long wait times and out-of-stock syndrome. But now, we compete with higher-level healthcare facilities in terms of the availability of drugs. By leveraging this cutting-edge delivery system, we have substantially reduced the wastage and expiration of drugs at our health centres.”

Beyond logistics, the transformative impact of Zipline’s services extends to instilling hope and trust in the onboarded health facilities.

A striking example of this is a life-saving intervention at the Ijiriga Primary Health Facility.

A patient arrived with severe vomiting and diarrhoea, and the facility, through Zipline, promptly received the necessary drugs within minutes, drastically reducing the patient’s waiting time and potentially saving their life.

Such efficiency not only saves lives but also enhances the reputation and trust of these remote health facilities, giving them a competitive edge.

Mr. Raphael Ochim, the Director of the Mfuma PHC, also attested to the transformative impact of Zipline, stating, “Since Zipline started operations here, the drone technology and service have been really good and helpful. It is less expensive, fast, and accurate. We don’t have to pay for transportation or transport ourselves to far distances to get these drugs anymore; we just call them, and they deliver in the shortest possible time. The patients are now happy, and the number of people that come to the facility has increased because many of them jubilate at the sight of the drones delivering the drugs. Their trust in the quality of our drugs has increased as they now trust that the drugs we give them are genuine.”

Zipline’s commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of its operations. Their robust feedback network ensures that healthcare providers are always in the loop, with regular updates on delivery statuses. This thorough attention to detail and alignment with the needs of healthcare facilities underscore Zipline’s dedication to enhancing healthcare accessibility.

The company currently serves over 13 million Nigerians across Kaduna, Cross River, and Bayelsa States, covering more than 46,000 square kilometres and servicing over 1,000 healthcare facilities.

With more than 100,000 deliveries of healthcare products and almost 7 million products delivered globally, the skies over Cross River State are no longer just a backdrop; they are active conduits of health and hope, thanks to Zipline’s pioneering drone technology.

The post Zipline Improves Primary Healthcare Access in Cross River State appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Staff of Zipline at the Pambegua Zipline distribution center had received an emergency request for a whole blood to help save one of the patients that had been rushed to the hospital mid-afternoon of June 6.

Fortunately, Zipline had taken delivery of some processed blood products, for the first time, from a recent blood drive they have embarked on as part of their corporate social responsibility, so they were able to fulfill the order.

Zipline, since August 2022, has been delivering medical products to several health facilities within Kaduna State as part of their partnership with the Kaduna government.

Health officials say the timely delivery of these products have largely improved healthcare delivery as cases of referral of patients on the ground of non-availability of medicines have largely reduced.

General Manager of Zipline, Ms Catherine N. Odiase, said the company is committed to ensuring that all patients, no matter their locations, are reached timely with the essential medicines when they need them the most. “We have been very deliberate in ensuring that we are able to reach as many health facilities as possible that need our services.

Even though we had commenced delivery of medicines in three states in Nigeria, this has been our very first delivery of blood. We embarked on a blood drive that yielded 30-units, some of which have been processed and delivered to our distribution center for emergency deliveries to health facilities”, she said.

Dr Sarah Ibrahim, a Medical Director at the Kauru Rural Hospital in Kaduna, expressed her gratitude for the timely delivery, stating, “we have witnessed an important moment that showcases the immense power of technology in advancing healthcare.

Zipline’s successful drone delivery of blood to our hospital not only saved precious time but also highlighted the transformative potential of innovative solutions. The significance of this moment fills us with hope and excitement for the future of healthcare, as we eagerly anticipate the positive impact it will have on our community and beyond.”

The innovative delivery model of Zipline highlights the capacity in addressing healthcare gaps across the country. Nigeria’s vast geographic areas and large population have posed challenges in providing timely access to medical supplies to remote communities. This, Zipline aims to address by ensuring that critical supplies reach those in need, regardless of their location.

Zipline’s drone delivery service has revolutionized medical supply transportation in several countries, including Rwanda and Ghana, overcoming traditional challenges such as limited storage facilities, transportation options, unpredictable weather conditions, and long distances.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the autonomous drones can navigate challenging terrains, adverse weather conditions, and congested urban areas.

With a range of up to 160 kilometers and a cargo capacity of 1.8 kilograms, the drones can efficiently transport life-saving medical products, including blood, vaccines, and essential medications.

Kwasu Kanchok, the Community Lead of Zipline in Kaduna State, expressed his excitement about the milestone, stating, “The historic blood delivery by Zipline in Nigeria serves as a testament to the power of innovation in transforming healthcare systems.

With each successful delivery, lives are saved, and communities gain access to critical medical supplies. This milestone paves the way for a future where drones play a vital role in addressing healthcare challenges and ensuring that no one is left behind”.

Zipline currently has operations in Kaduna, Bayelsa and Cross River States. The company has delivered a total of 800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand) Doses of vaccines for routine immunization, 1,500,000(One million Five Hundred Thousand) units of Essential medicines from the Pambegua distribution center (Kaduna) since August 2022.

Zipline has set a precedent for pioneering advancements that not only improve access to critical medical supplies but also pave the way for an inclusive and advanced healthcare landscape.

The post Historic as Zipline Begins Flying Blood Products to Health Facilities in Kaduna appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

This was just within one month of the start of operations within the state.

This accomplishment represents a big step in the state’s effort at ensuring universal access to important healthcare services in the Cross River State’s outlying locations.

Zipline’s Country Manager, Ms. Catherine Odiase, said the company is dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to healthcare anywhere in the world.

“In the world today, it is important to expand healthcare access to reach people, no matter where they live. Locations should no longer be a barrier to receiving medical care”, said Catherine Odiase.

“Our partnership with the Cross River State enables us to use our innovative drones to deliver medical commodities and vaccines to health facilities within 30 minutes of placing an order”.

Vaccine shortages have become a significant challenge at a number of healthcare institutions around the Cross River State due to limited storage facilities. This is changing, thanks to the bold decision of the Cross River State to partner with Zipline for the use of unmanned drones to access previously inaccessible communities with critical medical products, vaccines, and supplies within a reasonable time frame.

Vaccines including tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, yellow fever, measles, and even Covid-19 immunisations have been sent to health institutions in Cross River State. So far, at least 150 health facilities in 9 local government districts have benefitted from this game-changing technology, reaching over 50,000 infants, children, and mothers.

Esther Aju, a Routine Immunisation Focal Person from Ogoja Maternal Child Hospital, said in an interview, that prior to Zipline’s involvement in the delivery of these essential medicines and vaccines in the area, health officials struggled to receive vaccinations owing to the vast travel distance.

She further said that parents had to be, on several occasions, rescheduled for other immunisation days due to shortages in vaccines. The reality was that many babies were missing their critical immunizations, leaving them vulnerable to deadly diseases.

“The thought of innocent children growing up and contracting childhood illnesses due to lack of access to vaccines terrified us as healthcare providers because we frequently struggle to access critical vaccines, causing infant babies to miss their immunisation dates.”

This is one of the underlying elements that motivated the Cross River State to take urgent steps to avert the incident,” she said. “Immunisation has been more convenient and accessible since Zipline began serving our facility; we now get our immunisations within 5-10 minutes after placing our orders”; Esther Aju said.

Zipline’s influence extends beyond vaccination delivery. Following a severe cholera epidemic in the Ikom and Etung LGAs, Zipline stepped up once again, collaborating with the government to combat this deadly illness.

The report from the State Ministry of Health reported 638 suspected cases and 17 deaths in only a few months, leaving communities reeling and seeking assistance. Thanks to their cooperation, almost 6000 residents were reached with important preventative measures.

Under the Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) project, Zipline supported the delivery of Water and Sanitation Hygiene products to affected communities, including Orimekpang in Boki LGA, Effraya, Bendeghe-Ekiem, Abia, Ajasso in Etung LGA, Akparabong, and Okuni in Ikom LGA.

These products ranged from sanitizers, hand washes, water purifiers, disinfectants, oral rehydration salts, drugs like Darrow’s full and half strength, Ciprofloxacin, Metronidazole. Additionally, 304 packages containing medications for treatment and management of cholera have been delivered to 14 facilities in Etung and Ikom.

Zipline is dedicated to extending its activities in Nigeria and other nations to revolutionize global healthcare delivery. Over the years, it has focused its operations on bridging the gap between medical services and marginalized areas by employing innovative technology and establishing partnerships to improve public health outcomes

The post Zipline Delivers over 50,000 Doses of Routine Vaccines across Health Facilities in Cross River State appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

Zipline today unveiled its new platform that provides quiet, fast and precise autonomous delivery directly to homes in cities and suburbs.

The company’s next generation home delivery platform is practically silent (designed to sound like wind rustling leaves), and is expected to deliver up to 7 times as fast as traditional automobile delivery, completing 10-mile deliveries in about 10 minutes.

Zipline has spent the last several years building and fine tuning its next generation technology, Platform 2 (P2), to provide an optimal customer experience at scale.

Unlike other drone delivery services, Zipline’s drones (Zips) fly more than 300 feet above the ground and are nearly inaudible.

When the Zip arrives at its destination, it hovers safely and quietly at that altitude, while it’s fully autonomous delivery droid maneuvers down a tether, steers to the correct location, and gently drops off its package to areas as small as a patio table or the front steps of a home.

This is all made possible through major innovations in aircraft and propeller design.

Several businesses across the healthcare and restaurant sectors have already signed on to use Zipline’s new home delivery service.

Sweetgreen is partnering with Zipline to further its mission of connecting people to real food in the U.S., while moving a step closer to its pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2027.

By ordering through Zipline’s marketplace, Sweetgreen customers can get their orders using 97% less energy than traditional automotive methods.

“The future of delivery is faster, more sustainable and creates broader access, all of which provides improved value for our customers,” said Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and CEO of Sweetgreen. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with Zipline to complement our delivery strategy. Zipline’s sustainable technology and ability to reach customers quickly, with a great delivery experience, will help us give our customers what they want, when they want it.”

Michigan Medicine will use Zipline’s new service to more than double the number of prescriptions it fills each year through its in-house pharmacy. Intermountain Health will use it to deliver prescriptions to patients’ homes in the Salt Lake City metro area.

MultiCare Health System plans to use the new platform to expedite diagnostics and deliver prescriptions and medical devices throughout MultiCare’s network of facilities, including hospitals, laboratories and doctors’ offices.

And Zipline’s first customer, the Government of Rwanda, will use the company’s new home delivery service to enable urban aerial last-mile delivery to homes, hotels and health facilities in Kigali and elsewhere in the country.

Zipline’s end-to-end solution seamlessly integrates with a business’s current operations. That includes its dual-use docking and charging hardware, software that easily works with third-party inventory management and ordering systems, an intuitive app that allows order tracking down to the second, and an autonomy system that has already guided the flight paths of 40 million commercial miles.

Zipline designed its docking and charging hardware to have a light footprint that can be attached to any building or set up as a freestanding structure.

A Zip can be easily loaded by a business’ employee who can send off orders in seconds, right from their location, without even having to leave the kitchen, pharmacy or doctors’ office. Businesses can offer Zipline’s home delivery service in a variety of ways, including native integrations into apps and websites, white labeled opportunities, and by joining Zipline’s marketplace. Customers can make on-demand orders, or schedule the exact time they’d like their package to arrive, down to the second.

Each P2 Zip has a 10-mile service radius while carrying a 6-8 pound payload for out-and-back deliveries from a single dock. Alternatively, it can also fly up to 24 miles one way from dock to dock, charging at each dock before picking up its next delivery. Because Zips can move from dock to dock, Zipline can dynamically respond to peak order times – ensuring there’s enough

delivery capacity for an urgent prescription delivery or a busy Friday pizza night or weekday lunch rush.

“Over the last decade, global demand for instant delivery has skyrocketed, but the technology we’re using to deliver is 100 years old. We’re still using the same 3,000-pound, gas combustion vehicles, driven by humans, to make billions of deliveries that usually weigh less than 5 pounds. It’s slow, it’s expensive, and it’s terrible for the planet,” said Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, co-founder and CEO of Zipline. “Our new service is changing that and will finally make deliveries work for you and around your schedule. We have built the closest thing to teleportation ever created – a smooth, ultrafast, convenient, and truly magical autonomous logistics system that serves all people equally, wherever they are.”

Zipline plans to conduct high-volume flight tests this year involving more than 10,000 test flights using about 100 aircraft.

The first customer deployment of P2 will follow shortly after that. Zipline’s record for safety has been proven over the past seven years of operations and over more than 500,000 commercial flights. Its long-range platform, P1, has autonomously flown 40 million miles worth of commercial deliveries through all kinds of weather without a safety incident – the vast majority of which were flights flown beyond visual line of sight.

Zipline has received Part 135 certification, is authorized to complete the longest-range, on-demand commercial drone flights in America, and recently received FAA approval to enable its onboard autonomous detect and avoid system.

Zipline completed more deliveries in 2022 than in all previous years combined, and is planning to complete about 1 million deliveries by the end of 2023. By 2025, Zipline expects to operate more flights annually than most airlines.

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Zipline made its first commercial delivery in Kaduna on August 15, 2022. Since then, the center has made more than 13,507 commercial deliveries containing more than 224,778 vaccine doses including 154,305 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 1,159,176 units of medical products and 407,889 units of consumables to facilities in Gimi-Tasha, Crossing HC, Kargi, Gedage, Kaibi, Tumbau, Karre, Garun Kurama, Tashan Tsamiya, Kaware amongst others.

“Before Zipline, facilities providing basic healthcare programs had to travel far to get drugs for registered clients when there was a shortage,” says Idris Isa, the Director-In-Charge of the Karreh Primary Health Center. “It was often a challenge to replenish deliveries, which always took longer than expected. But since we started working with Zipline, we can just place orders, and they deliver them in record time. The difference is clear, and the supply has been incredible to save more lives.”

Isa adds that Zipline deliveries have helped healthcare workers improve patient care. Since working with Zipline, he has noticed better outcomes for patients being treated for hypertension, pneumonia, measles, HIV, cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis and pregnancy complications.

Part of the reason Zipline improved outcomes, Isa says, is because instant access to medical supplies allowed staff to treat patients at the health center rather than referring them elsewhere.

He observed that the previous rate of referrals was a major deterrent for people to visit the health facility.

He also commended Zipline and the government for introducing the technology that has saved lives, especially in areas where healthcare access remains a challenge.

Health officials say essential drug delivery to various health facilities in the state has improved leading to increase in outpatient cases, shortened delay time in access to healthcare etc. This has transformed how medical supplies are delivered to health facilities within the state, impacting those in underserved communities.

Idris Isa is not alone in his assessment of the Zipline support. Wada Yunusa, the Director-In-Charge of Ibada Health Center praised Zipline for the timely delivery of critical medical interventions that has saved many lives, especially in cases of emergency.

According to him, “Zipline delivery to the health center has been fast and efficient. Their timely support is enabling us to deliver on our mandate with ease knowing that even when we need medication in times of emergencies, they will come to the rescue”.

Over the years, Zipline has demonstrated capacity to work with governments and health systems to enable health supply chains to become more efficient.

Commenting on the impact of the service, Kwasu Kanchok, the Community Lead of Zipline in Kaduna State, indicated that the drone delivery system has immensely contributed to the overall health delivery at the facilities we serve. .

“More than 300 health facilities within 80 -100 kilometers from the host local government Kubau to Galadimawa PHC, Kauru LGA to Lere LGA, and the other communities get their essential drugs through Zipline,” Kanchok said. “By the support of the State Government of Kaduna, we are removing most of the access barriers that inhibit health delivery in the area. Health centers do not need to wait days before getting medical supplies. Now, they can get the supplies they need within 30 minutes.”

Ms Catherine Odiase, General Manager of Zipline Nigeria, said, “We remain committed to ensuring that the people of Kaduna can access the care they need at health facilities. And in addition to creating immediate access to medical supplies and providing coherent data to the facilities, we are also contributing to driving down all forms of mortality rates within Kaduna. In addition to Zipline’s technology and team, we have the leadership of the Government of Kaduna State to thank for this successful partnership.

Zipline, the global leader in instant logistics deliveries, has become a household name for immediate transport of medical logistics, with over 500,000 deliveries of medical commodities, over 5-million products delivered and serving over 25 million customers across the globe.

The Kaduna State government believes this partnership is a tremendous opportunity to improve the overall health system and create employment opportunities for the citizens.

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