Dr. Koma S. Jehu-Appiah, member of the NDC’s Manifesto Committee on Health, says it’s unwise for the government to have invested in drone technology for medical deliveries.
He believes that the investment should have gone toward building more blood banks in the ostensibly remote areas where these drones operate.
In 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic upended the world, the Government of Ghana partnered with Zipline to deliver medical supplies, including vaccines, from local distribution centers directly to health facilities through a network of autonomous drones.
Many criticized the government for the intervention concerning the significance of the deal and called it a misplaced priority.
However, since its inception, it has placed Ghana as the world’s largest medical drone delivery service.
During an exclusive interview on Atinka FM’s AM Drive with host Nana Yaw Fianko, a member of the NDC’s Manifesto Committee, Dr. Koma S. Jehu-Appiah stated, “Even though there are good benefits of drones, that is not what Ghana needs now.”
“What the government should have done with that investment was to build more blood banks and train more personnel across the county than the drones,” he said.
He also suggested that the government should actively promote blood donation to boost the supply of blood at various blood banks.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vincent Kwofie.