Zipline is set to launch its first drone operations in Kenya

Zipline is set to launch its first drone operations in Chemelil, Kisumu County.

This is after Zipline signed an MoU with the County Government of Kisumu.
Speaking to the press Winfred Njeri the country manager, said this technology will help in making healthcare products available to the public in case of emergencies.

“Good health is what all of us wish for. At times, we or our loved ones may fall ill resulting in immediate medical attention. The solution to delays in the delivery of drugs and essential products like blood is finally here. The poor road network is a major concern as it hinders transport hence the delays. These drones will operate in the air hence healthcare products will be delivered when needed by the patient,” said Njeri.

Njeri also revealed that Zipline company targets especially the medical staff in remote hospitals and clinics.

“Hospitals and dispensaries found in most interior parts of the country have a lot of challenges in accessing healthcare products. Drugs and essential equipments needed are not available hence creating more risks to both medical practitioners and the patients as well. The drone technology will enable them place their orders and the medical products will reach them via parachutes. For example, those who are 300km away can be reached in less than 45 minutes.So this is a plus for us as a country,” added Njeri.

Zipline is an instant delivery service that operates a drone manufacturing and delivery system, conveying mostly medical supplies as well as non-medical products in a number of markets. The fulfillment system of Zipline is well equipped with a state of the art warehousing facility and cold chain storage that keeps all products within the recommended standards for delivery.

“It aims to create logistics solutions that serve all humanity equally by leveraging its expertise in robotics and autonomy to design, manufacture and operate an automated delivery system. It makes deliveries of medical supplies such as vaccines, infusions, whole blood, platelets, and frozen plasma, among others more sufficient and timely despite terrains. In agriculture, it is supporting the delivery of animal genetic material like swine and bull semen and animal vaccines,” she added.

She says Zipline will act as a warehouse for the medical products that will ensure universal, seven-days-a-week access to lifesaving and critical medicine over the coming years.

“We store these healthcare products on behalf of institutions mandated to ensure they get to the people, for example, medical air agency or the county governments. So far we are partnering with almost 14 County governments so that we decentralize these products,” Njeri said.

The agreement gives way to the establishment and operation of a Zipline distribution hub in Kisumu County to act as the base of operations for the Zipline Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and the Zipline services capable of serving health projects and facilities across the 16 Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) Counties.