A partnership to extend drone-based vaccine delivery to underserved communities has been launched by the Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Gavi (a Vaccine Alliance), and Zipline.
The partnership also aimed to introduce new vaccines, such as the RTS,S malaria vaccine, and evaluate the cost-effectiveness and health impact of the delivery model.
At the launch at Omenako Lead for the Sales Department at Zipline, Daniel Kwaku Merki, emphasised the success of previous collaborations.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he said Zipline partnered with MOH, GHS, GAVI, and the UPS Foundation to deliver over three million COVID-19 vaccine doses across Ghana, he said.
Since 2019, Zipline and GHS have delivered more than 15.5 million vaccine doses and research indicated a 42 per cent reduction in missed vaccination opportunities and a 13-37 percentage point increase in vaccination coverage in regions served by Zipline compared to non-Zipline areas.
He said a forthcoming study also highlighted the cost-effectiveness and cost-saving benefits of Zipline’s last-mile delivery model.
“The expansion will target hard-to-reach areas in 68 districts, including 15 in the Eastern Region, where vaccine access challenges are significant,”he said.
Mr Merki described the partnership as a reflection of Ghana’s commitment to leveraging innovative technology to improve healthcare access and outcomes.
The initiative was built on the success of aerial vaccine delivery in Ghana.
Gavi has secured $3.5 million in funding to support the expansion, aiming to deliver millions of additional life-saving vaccines and improve immunisation coverage in remote areas.
The funding would support microplanning, supply and demand generation, and research on the innovative vaccine drone delivery model.
Over the next two years, the partnership sought to increase vaccine coverage in low-immunisation districts and improve nationwide immunisation rates by over 25 percentage points.
The Director of Public Health at GHS, Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, highlighted the longstanding partnership between GHS and Zipine, which began in 2019.
He explained that the collaboration addressed vaccine access gaps, particularly in underserved communities.
“Zipline has bridged the gap in vaccine and medical product access, especially in emergencies such as blood product shortages or snakebite treatments. Expanding this partnership allows us to reach more communities lacking routine vaccination and emergency services,” Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said.
Currently, Zipline operated in six distribution centres, he said and added the new partnership aimed to increase these sites, enhancing access to both emergency services and routine vaccinations across Ghana.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe expressed confidence in Zipline’s role in helping GHS achieve its healthcare targets.
This partnership underscores Ghana’s leadership in adopting innovative solutions to strengthen healthcare delivery. By expanding access to vaccines and medical supplies, the initiative is expected to significantly improve health outcomes, particularly in remote and underserved regions, he said
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, OMENAKO
