Bi-Directional Medical Delivery
Tanzania: Providing an island in Lake Victoria with medical supplies
61 km
distance
(one way)
39 min
average flight time
(till delivery)
1 kg
average payload
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
Medical care for the roughly 400,000 residents of Ukerewe island in Lake Victoria is severely limited due to poor infrastructure and difficult terrain.
It takes six hours to provide emergency medication or refill cold chain stock-outs from the regional medical distribution center on the Tanzanian mainland using the 240 km overland route.
The remote island of Pentecost is one of 83 islands in the South Pacific that make up the nation of Vanuatu. The 60 km long island is made up predominantly of mountainous terrain covered in dense jungle. In many cases, the islanders don’t have access to roads, electricity or permanent healthcare facilities.
Providing access to vaccines in the most remote communities involves nurses travelling from health centers, sometimes having to hike for several hours or days, or travel by boat around the island. Even short distances can take long and costly hours in which the heat-sensitive medical supplies are exposed to the tropical heat and arduous travel conditions.
In the landlocked country of Malawi, the provision of medical care is often reliant on a poor road infrastructure that is highly compromised by seasonal fluctuations and heavy rains.
This challenge contributes to high rates of maternal and child mortality, reduces patients’ ability to adhere to treatment, and slows improvements to the health system.
In rural areas in particular, where citizens rely on local health centers for primary care, healthcare provision is hampered by frequent stockouts of essential medicines and critical medical supplies
In the landlocked country of Malawi, the provision of medical care is often reliant on a poor road infrastructure that is highly compromised by seasonal fluctuations and heavy rains.
This challenge contributes to high rates of maternal and child mortality, reduces patients’ ability to adhere to treatment, and slows improvements to the health system.
In rural areas in particular, where citizens rely on local health centers for primary care, healthcare provision is hampered by frequent stockouts of essential medicines and critical medical supplies
Solution
Solution
Solution
To prove that the delivery of medicines to remote areas using drones can help overcome logistical challenges, we partnered with DHL and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
In the six-month pilot project “Deliver Future”, we successfully tested the delivery of medicines by Wingcopter from the Medical Stores Department in Mwanza to Nansio District Hospital on Ukerewe island. On its way back, the Wingcopter drone transported blood and laboratory samples to be analyzed on the mainland.
An initiative was undertaken to establish a regular and emergency delivery service in the district of Kasungu in rural Malawi to replenish stockouts of essential medicines and other medical commodities in two health centers within the Humanitarian Drone Testing Corridor and one outside the Corridor.
The medical commodities transported from Kasungu Airport to the three health centers included essential medicines such as antimalarials, maternal health products and antibiotics, and general medical supplies such as viral load samples and masks, servicing a total population of over 115,000.
An initiative was undertaken to establish a regular and emergency delivery service in the district of Kasungu in rural Malawi to replenish stockouts of essential medicines and other medical commodities in two health centers within the Humanitarian Drone Testing Corridor and one outside the Corridor.
The medical commodities transported from Kasungu Airport to the three health centers included essential medicines such as antimalarials, maternal health products and antibiotics, and general medical supplies such as viral load samples and masks, servicing a total population of over 115,000.
Outcome
Outcome
Outcome
During the trials, the drone reached the island hospital almost 10 times as fast as by traditional means of transport.
With an average flight time of 39 minutes for the 61-kilometer flight, we successfully demonstrated that we can significantly reduce patients’ waiting times in remote areas and prevent frequent stock-outs of urgently needed medication.
The deliveries by Wingcopter helped reduce the overall number of stockout days in the health centers during the implementation period. The project will therefore be continued and expanded in scope.
The deliveries by Wingcopter helped reduce the overall number of stockout days in the health centers during the implementation period. The project will therefore be continued and expanded in scope.
Impressions
Connect with us and discover what our drone delivery solutions can do for you
Stay up-to-date
Sign up for our newsletter
