UK follows Ghana’s example as they get ready to use drones for medical supplies

Ghana’ innovative decision to use drones to deliver PPEs and samples for testing in the fight against the Coronavirus is fast getting international recognition as Britain has announced it will use drones for COVID-19 medical deliveries from next week.

Government has employed the services of the Zipline Drones to deliver urgent medical essentials, especially samples from remote communities to designated testing centres to help in the fight against the Coronavirus.

Earlier this week, the TIME magazine reported that Ghana is the first country in the world to employ this innovation since COVID-19 broke out, and also revealed America’s intention to urgently consider using the drones.

Britain is now the latest state to announce its readiness to use the drones in its charge on the Coronavirus.

At its daily COVID-19 press briefing, Sky News reported that British Transport Secretary Grant Shaps announced that drones are being trialed to deliver medical supplies to help Britain’s response against the Coronavirus.

The trial, according to the Transport Secretary, will begin next week and it will carry supplies to St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle Of Wight.

Considering the urgency of the situation and Britain’s quest to immediately employ the drones service, the Transport Secretary said he had “fast-tracked” the trials following a £28m awarded by the government earlier this year to Southampton and Portsmouth councils to carry out drone operations as part of a wider trial.

Before the outbreak of the Coronavirus, Ghana had been employing drones to deliver urgent medical supplies to remote communities since the Zipline Service was launched by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia last year.

The introduction of the drones was criticised by the opposition NDC who said the service was not needed in the country.

Events, especially during the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, have however proved that the government was even ahead of many developed countries in the world.

Ghana has two main drone stations at Omenako in the Eastern Region and Mampong in the Ashanti Region.

Works are also nearing completion for the third and forth zones at Kukua near Walewale, in the North East Region and Sefwi Wiawso in the Western North Region.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com