When Ellen Donkor’s baby had a fever, she rushed the little girl to a clinic near Kumasi, Ghana, where doctors prescribed lifesaving medicine that parachuted from the sky – delivered by a drone. “If not for this service, we would be referred to another hospital,” Donkor says. “By the time you see the doctor there, your child might die.” Women’s Health to Wealth, an Americares partner in Ghana has a unique partnership with the drone service Zipline. When a shipment of medicine and medical supplies from Americares arrives in Ghana, Women’s Health to Wealth makes it available to clinics throughout the Ashanti Region and beyond, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service. Health facilities within Zipline’s Mpanya distribution center service area can also call Zipline anytime for a delivery. Thousands of items, including lifesaving IV fluids, antibiotics, prenatal supplements and other medicines and supplies from Americares are delivered by the unmanned, remote-control drones, saving hours of costly travel.
Women’s Health to Wealth identified medicine supply and distance as barriers to providing equitable, quality health services throughout the region. The innovative collaboration with Zipline, Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service, and Americares eliminates that barrier, making health services more accessible. “Drug delivery by drone is really helping us in the rural areas,” says Donkor.
Americares partners with local health centers: When local health centers thrive, so do people in their communities—with better health and more opportunity. Americares supports over 4,000 health centers in the U.S. and around the world, including Women’s Health to Wealth in Ghana.
