Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
The use of drones to deliver essential medical supplies is expected to reduce the delivery time from hours to minutes
PALAPYE, Botswana, May 24, 2021/ -- This
month, Botswana became the first country in Southern Africa, and the
third in Africa, to pilot drone technology for health-care delivery. The Drones for Health pilot project aims to reduce preventable maternal
deaths by delivering maternal health supplies and commodities –
including essential obstetric care drugs, blood, blood products and
laboratory specimens – particularly in hard-to-reach communities and
health facilities.
UNFPA is partnering on the initiative, along with Botswana’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research,
Science and Technology, and Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST).
“Women experience massive blood loss due to haemorrhage during
childbirth, with many of them requiring a blood transfusion,” said
Beatrice Mutali, the UNFPA country director in Botswana, at the launch
of the initiative. “Blood and blood-based products are therefore
critical.”
Life-saving medicines
Botswana has a maternal mortality ratio that is almost double the
average for upper-middle income countries – 144 per 100,000 live births
according to 2017 UN data, or at 166 deaths per 100,000 live births according to 2019 government data. The main causes of maternal deaths in Botswana are postpartum
haemorrhage, complications after abortion and hypertensive disorders
during pregnancy.
To provide life-saving emergency obstetric care, health facilities must
be equipped with the supplies and skills needed to handle such
emergencies. Medication can effectively treat post-partum haemorrhageand hypertensive issues like eclampsia, for instance, but in this large and sparsely populated country, delivery of such medical supplies is often a challenge.
“The need to invest in innovative options to bridge the long distances,
reduce current transportation costs, overcome road infrastructure
challenges, and improve timely availability of essential emergency
obstetric care drugs, commodities and supplies is therefore urgent,”
said Dr. Edwin Gorataone Dikoloti, Botswana’s Minister of Health and
Wellness.
“The sustainable reduction of maternal, newborn and child deaths and
overall improvement of health care in general, including sexual,
reproductive and adolescent health, remains a high priority for the
Government of Botswana,” said Dr. Dikoloti.
Slashing delivery times
The use of drones to deliver essential medical supplies is expected to
reduce the delivery time from hours to minutes, meaning that obstetric
emergency supplies could arrive in time to save lives, according to
BIUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Otlogetswe Totolo.
Each battery-powered drone has a delivery distance of 100 km and can carry cargo with a weight of up to 2kg at a time.
Four villages were involved in the pilot project: Lecheng, 32 km from
Palapye by road and 11 km via drone; Mokgware, with a distance of 55 km
by road and 32 km by drone; Mogapi, 108 km away by road and 75 km via
drone; and Moremi, 75 km away by road and 36 km via drone.
Community members in the pilot areas have supported the project by
building landing pads at designated health posts. UNFPA provided seed
funding for the project. Successful test runs have been carried out in
all four targeted villages, with the drones delivering dummy specimens.
Transforming health care
The Drones for Health initiative, which was conceived in 2018, is being
implemented in three phases. Phases I and II are dedicated to
proof-of-concept and viability testing.
Following a successful rollout, Phase III will involve the development
of the business model, identify sustainable partnerships, and the scale
up and transfer of innovation solutions to the Ministry of Wellness and
Health.
“Technology and digitally driven solutions have the potential to
transform health care, particularly for women and girls in underserved
communities, often left behind due to geographical proximity…as they
live in hard-to-reach areas,” said Ms. Mutali.
Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
Piloting drones to deliver life-saving products for women in rural Botswana
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