An American corporation, Zipline, has begun flying blood products to health institutions in Kaduna.
Zipline International Inc. is a firm based in the United States that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones.
This is according to a statement released by the corporation on Monday.
It stated that as part of the company’s corporate social duty, they have decided to begin the supply of processed blood products to health facilities in the state for the first time in order to save lives.
Zipline stated that as part of its relationship with the state government, it has been delivering medicinal items to multiple health facilities in Kaduna since August 2022.
It was highlighted that health officials stated that timely delivery of their products had greatly improved healthcare delivery, with incidences of patients being referred due to non-availability of drugs significantly reduced.
Ms Catherine Odiase, General Manager of Zipline, stated, “the company is committed to ensuring that all patients, regardless of location, 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.
“Although we have commenced delivery of medicines in three states in Nigeria, this is our first blood delivery.
“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.
Also, Dr Sarah Ibrahim, a Medical Director at the Kauru said that with drone delivery they had witnessed an important moment that showcased the immense power of technology in advancing healthcare.
She noted that Zipline’s successful drone delivery of blood to their hospital not only saved precious time but also highlighted the transformative potential of innovative solutions.
Ibrahim added that the innovative delivery model of Zipline highlighted the capacity in addressing healthcare gaps across the country.
According to her, Nigeria’s vast geographic areas and large population have posed challenges in providing timely access to medical supplies to remote communities.
Ibrahim said that Zipline aimed to address this by ensuring that critical supplies reach those in need, regardless of their location.
Kwasu Kanchok, the Community Lead of Zipline in Kaduna State, said that the historic blood delivery by the company in Nigeria served as a testament to the power of innovation in transforming healthcare systems.
The community lead said that with each successful delivery, lives were saved and communities gained 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, “Kanchok said.
NAN reports that Zipline currently has operations in Kaduna, Bayelsa and Cross River.
The company has delivered a total of 800,000 doses of vaccines for routine immunisation and 1,500,000 units of essential medicines from the Pambegua distribution center (Kaduna) since August 2022.
