World’s First Drones for Medical Supplies Launch in Rwanda

World’s First Drones for Medical Supplies Launch in Rwanda
The first medical supply of remotely piloted aircraft, popularly known as drones, was launched in Rwanda. The pioneer project, in Muhanga District in southern Rwanda, this drones we be used in delivery of much needed supplies, to ensure efficiency and timeliness.

The launch comes nine months after the Government entered into an agreement with Zipline Inc, a California-based robotics firm to build infrastructure for unmanned aerial system to ensure efficient logistical transportation of medical supplies in the country. The issue of delivery of medical supplies to the countryside has always been a daunting one for the Ministry of Health. Under normal circumstances, when Kabgayi District Hospital in Southern Province requires replenishing blood supplies, it takes four to five hours using an ambulance by road from Kigali. This happens about twice a week but during medical emergencies, requisition for blood supplies from the National Blood Transfusion Centre could be made up to five times. Other than the road trip, the blood delivery process requires that lab technicians leave their stations at the facility for the city to put in an order and follow-up till it gets to Kabgayi District Hospital. At times, the process could require them to spend a night in Kigali, according to Dr Espoir Kajyibwami, the director of the hospital. The drones are expected to curb such tedious processes to acquire blood as well as medical supplies at up to 21 hospitals across Southern and Western provinces. Using drone technology will cut down the time taken in delivering blood supplies to about 30 minutes on making an order and will not require staff from the health facilities to leave their stations. Experts say drone technology presents an opportunity to turn around the quality and efficiency of medical services in remote areas. With the reduced duration in delivery of blood supplies, medical practitioners expect that patients will get urgent attention and will also enable them respond better to emergency cases. Dr Kajyibwami told The New Times that the new technology will enable them reduce the time taken to replenish their supplies and respond better to medical emergencies.