News
Zipline hits over 500,000 medical delivery milestone
In a remarkable achievement for healthcare logistics, Zipline, the autonomous drone delivery service, has surpassed the half-million mark in delivering life-saving supplies to over 2,500 health facilities in Ghana.
The latest operational update provided by Zipline, reveals a significant milestone in the partnership with the Government of Ghana which has seen many health facilities gain access to prompt supplies of emergency medical products.
The deliveries, including blood products and anti-snake venom, have been instrumental in saving lives and improving health outcomes in communities across the country.
This underscores the critical role played by
Zipline’s drone delivery system in responding swiftly to emergencies and ensuring timely access to life-saving treatments, especially in remote and underserved areas across Ghana.
Samuel Akuffo, a Fulfillment Lead in Africa for Zipline, emphasised the importance of the partnership with the Government of Ghana in achieving this milestone.
“Our partnership has been instrumental in enabling us to fulfil our mission of leveraging technology to improve healthcare outcomes and save lives,” he remarked.
“Every life preserved through our emergency deliveries represents a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in healthcare. Our goal is to continue innovating and collaborating to address the healthcare challenges facing our nation. Together, we can build a healthier, more resilient Ghana for generations to come,” he added.
In addition to emergency response, Zipline’s contributions to Ghana’s healthcare system extend to vaccination efforts, disease control, and agricultural health. The company has delivered over 12.2 million vaccine doses, including 2.8 million COVID-19 vaccines, significantly bolstering the nation’s immunisation drive.
Moreover, the company’s on-demand drone delivery model has enabled a 21 percent increase in vaccination coverage, resulting in a 44 percent reduction in missed opportunities to vaccinate and potentially save 727 lives due to improved vaccination coverage.
The completion of six Zipline distribution centres strategically located across Ghana has further strengthened the company’s reach, serving 17 million Ghanaians across 13 regions with on-demand drone delivery.
These distribution centres located in Omenako, Ashanti Mampong, Vobsi, Sefwi Wiawso, Anum, and Kete Krachi, each with a 110km delivery radius, ensure equitable access to essential medical supplies for communities nationwide.
Interventions during public health crises have also been crucial in mitigating the spread of diseases and safeguarding both human and animal populations.
In response to the deadly Anthrax outbreak in Northern Ghana in 2023, Zipline enabled the vaccination of 104,000 cattle, thereby protecting livelihoods and preserving the health of communities.
Additional support for Ghana’s agricultural health has also seen the completion of drone deliveries of 10.4 million doses of poultry vaccines for diseases such as Newcastle disease, Fowl pox, and Gumboro to poultry farmers across the country.
Since its launch, Zipline has completed over 519,000 drone delivery flights across Ghana, delivering a wide range of medical products, 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.
According to Zipline they remain dedicated to their mission of expanding access to quality healthcare for every Ghanaian.
As the partnership between Zipline and the Government of Ghana continues to flourish, the future of healthcare delivery in the nation looks brighter than ever.
News
UNODC partners GFA Foundation on Prison advocacy and mentorship programme
The GFA Foundation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to work together to advocate for anti-discrimination and the elimination of stigmatization for prisoners and prisons.
This partnership was agreed, in principle, during a meeting at the Home of Football (GFA Head Office) between the Director of the GFA Foundation and the UNODC Team led by Mr. Christoph Capelle, an Associate Expert in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Coordinator of the prison and penal reform project in Ghana.
Welcoming the Team to the Home of Football, the Director of the GFA Foundation, Mr. Malcolm Frazier Appeadu briefed the team about the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which has covered 6 prisons across the country already.
He indicated that the Foundation is liaising with the Ghana Prisons Service to commence the second and third pillars of the project, which are the coaches and referees training programs as well as the advocacy and mentorship initiatives.
He said that the GFA Foundation will welcome partners for the execution of the second phase of the project which will include Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Kumasi Central Prison, Sekondi Central Prison and three other prison facilities.
In his response, Mr. Christoph Capelle commended the GFA for the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s prisons into society.
Mr. Capelle said that UNODC is looking forward to a collaboration with the GFA Foundation on possible programs for both the medium and long term to support football and sports jobs and skills development in Ghana’s prisons.
He extended an invitation to the GFA Foundation to be part of an assessment of overall prison rehabilitation programmes including the use of sports by their international consultant at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
There will be a football match and donation of footballs, sports items and equipment to the prison facility.
Present at the meeting were Mr. Kwame Koramoah, an officer at the GFA Foundation and Integrity Office, Helena Adobea Ofori, Associate Programme Officer, UNODC and Caleb Elorm Agodzo, Administrative Officer, UNODC.
It will be recalled that in 2020, The UNODC and FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to tackle corruption and crime in and through sports and pledged to consider ways in which football can be used as a vehicle to strengthen youth resilience to crime and substance use through the provision of life skills training.
The MOU was renewed last year by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
News
Gomoa West: NPP, NDC supporters clash over commissioning of DRIP equipment
Supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday morning clashed over the commissioning of machinery for the District Road Infrastructure Project in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region.
According to Citi News sources, the conflict began when NDC supporters questioned the decision to display images of Bismark Basie Nkum, the NPP’s Gomoa West parliamentary candidate on the DRIP machinery.
This disagreement quickly escalated, almost leading to a physical altercation between the two groups.
Baisie Nkum, who doubles as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa West, further claimed that the Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Gyan Mensah, brandished a pistol and issued threats against the NPP’s local leadership.
A viral video circulating on social media captured the DCE accusing MP Richard Gyan Mensah of pulling out a gun and threatening NPP supporters during the heated incident.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
