The people of Bayelsa State residing in riverine and rural areas have continued to celebrate the adoption of drone services by the state government in supplying health commodities to health facilities in remote communities in the state.
Before now, the mortality rate, especially infant and maternal mortality was rampant in the riverine communities in the state, as many patients lost their lives before they could navigate the coastline to Yenagoa, to access care during emergencies.
Daily Trust gathered that in January 2022, the Bayelsa State government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Zipline, a logistics delivery company, to enhance the preservation of crucial cold chain medications and also expand the distribution of essential medical supplies to remote health facilities across the state.
The company has since built and operationalised its first distribution centre, from where it said more than 13, 500 deliveries of medical supplies including 537,000 doses of vaccines to 210 health facilities have been made, including other notable improvements in health outcomes, particularly as evidenced by a reduction in the mortality rate since the start of the Zipline operations in 2023 in the state.
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Speaking with Daily Trust on the state government’s initiatives to improve the healthcare delivery for people of the state, the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Dr. Pabara Netson Igwele, said the use of drones to supply medical communities is the best approach to handling healthcare challenges for Bayelsa communities marginalised due to poor access routes, unreliable traditional methods of medical logistics delivery, and inadequate storage systems.
Dr Igwele, a public health specialist, whose tenure as the Commissioner for Health brought the services of Zipline Company to the state, stated that access to healthcare is a crucial component in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), though millions of individuals throughout Africa encounter considerable obstacles in accessing health care at any given time.
He said: “The implementation of Zipline’s drone delivery system has revolutionised healthcare delivery in Bayelsa State. Despite initial skepticism, we forged ahead with the partnership and signed an MOU on January 29, 2022. And from last year, 2023, when they had completed all construction works, they have been tirelessly distributing medical commodities across all levels of healthcare facilities, even in the most remote areas.
“This has significantly improved healthcare indices, with immunisation rates soaring to over 97% in January alone. Previously, our healthcare indicators were dismal, but Zipline’s intervention has propelled us from red to green-yellow, marking a remarkable turnaround in healthcare accessibility and outcomes.
“Few months ago, a critical incident unfolded in Okubie, a riverine community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. At around 2am, a distress call came in from the local hospital’s nurse, reporting a child in dire need of urgent treatment for severe malaria. However, the hospital lacked the necessary medical supplies to save the child’s life. In a race against time, they reached out to the Zipline facility, and remarkably, within just 25 minutes, the essential medications for severe malaria were swiftly delivered to the medical centre in Okubie.
“This timely intervention proved lifesaving for the child, a stark contrast to the dire reality faced previously, where patients often succumbed to their illnesses during arduous journeys to larger healthcare facilities like Yenagoa.
He further said such instances had contributed to the region’s high mortality rates, including maternal mortality.
He said, “In Bayelsa State, our terrain presents significant challenges to healthcare delivery.
“The partnership with Zipline has been transformative for healthcare delivery in Bayelsa State. For instance, in places like Koluama Community, where accessing medical care was previously arduous, Zipline’s services have made a significant difference. By directly delivering vaccines and medical supplies to remote health facilities, Zipline ensures timely immunisation for children, addressing the issue of missed opportunities due to logistical challenges. This not only improves health outcomes, but also reduces vaccine wastage and saves government funds, especially considering the high cost of vaccines on the market.
“Previously, a significant number of children in Bayelsa State struggled to receive immunisation, highlighting the urgent need to reduce the count of zero-dose children. The partnership with Zipline has revolutionised this process. Now, when nursing mothers gather at health facilities, they simply tally the number of mothers and children requiring vaccines and send a text message to the Zipline facility. Within ten minutes, the necessary supplies are packed, and within 45 minutes, at maximum, Zipline delivers them to the facility.
“This streamlined approach ensures that within an hour, children receive their vaccines, allowing mothers to attend to other responsibilities such as farming. Consequently, children are immunised promptly, preventing potential disease outbreaks and safeguarding lives of the people,” he added.
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