Medical Drone Delivery Service, Zipline, Saves 44-year-old driver’s life in Ghana

Charles Coffie, a 44-year-old driver in the Eastern Region was full of praise for government and Zipline’s yet to be launched drone technology for helping to save his life at the New Tafo Government Hospital.

This was after the drone successfully flew blood to the hospital which was used by the doctors to save Mr. Coffie who was receiving treatment at the facility.

“Yesterday [Monday] I was seriously bleeding after my operation so my family members were informed that I needed blood immediately and this drone saved me. And I think it is a good initiative,” he told GhanaStar News on Tuesday.

According to Mr Coffie he owes his existence to that drone which delivered two pints of blood.

“I’m really surprised because during the surgery there was no blood around and that was the moment I needed blood the most. The drone-delivered blood from Korle-Bu and I’m really happy because if not for that drone, I would have died. I’m really grateful to the government for bringing in such a good initiative which will go a very long way to save more lives “.

The driver narrated the incident to Ghanastar News when some journalists toured Zipline Ghana’s distribution centre at Omenako near Suhum in the Eastern Region and the New Tafo Government Hospital where some of the drones were tested.

The younger brother of Charles Coffie, John Abah could not also hide his joy.

“Without that thing which brought the blood yesterday like my brother would have been no more. Look at him in bed laughing and looking at me now as I do same. So why can’t I be happy? Everyone here was scared when we were told he needed blood. We didn’t eat, we didn’t sleep, so when the drone finally delivered the blood and it was administered to him we became relieved and happy as a family. We want the government to bring more drones so that relatives of others can be saved.” he added.

Drone medical delivery to improve maternal, child health indicators – Doctor
The Medical Superintendent at the New Tafo Government Hospital, Dr Kobina Awotwe Wiredu, also described the Zipline drone technology system as a game changer.

Dr. Wiredu was speaking to journalists who toured the drop zone at the hospital where vaccines would be delivered by drones.

He said the maternal and child health indicators would see a significant improvement once the whole country is covered by the drone services.

“With regards to the distribution centre or zones, the whole country would be covered. Once the whole country is covered with this drone technology, I am very optimistic that we would have a great improvement in our maternal and child health indicators,” he said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo is expected to launch the drone delivery services tomorrow, Thursday.

The $12.5 million contract is to enable the government to fly blood and other health essentials to deprived areas.

When at full operations, Zipline expects to be running over 150 flights per day from each of its four distribution centres nationwide.

The revolutionary new service will use drones to make on-demand, emergency deliveries of life-saving medications to over 2,000 health facilities across the country.