Ghana’s pioneering medical drone delivery service, Zipline, has made significant contributions to improvements in maternal and emergency healthcare nationwide, but the programme’s future faces uncertainty following renewed calls for its contract to be terminated.
A new peer-reviewed study published in BMC Health Services Research reports substantial health gains among Zipline-supported facilities: a 20% increase in antenatal visits, a 26% rise in facility-based deliveries, and a 3.41-fold increase in referrals to higher-level hospitals. Emergency visits reduced by 4%, and maternal deaths dropped sharply by 56%. Rates of hysterectomies and neonatal deaths saw no major change.
Researchers attribute these outcomes to Zipline’s ability to deliver blood, vaccines, and essential medical supplies within minutes, particularly in remote areas where delays often result in preventable deaths.
Despite these achievements, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has reiterated demands for the government to cancel its contract with the drone operator, arguing that the financial burden on the state is no longer sustainable.
“I call for a cancellation of the contract. The contract should be cancelled. The Ghana Health Service should develop its own in-house capacity to deliver the blood through its own drones,” he said.
Ayariga maintains that Ghana must transition toward a state-managed drone service rather than relying on private providers.
However, analysts caution that any move toward a government-run system must be carefully phased. If the government proceeds with termination, stakeholders argue that it must ensure uninterrupted support to all Zipline-assisted health facilities until a fully operational national drone programme is in place to prevent disruptions in critical care delivery.
Experts also warn that establishing a government-owned drone fleet would require clear legislation, a robust management framework, operational standards, and reliable long-term funding to avoid becoming another stalled technological initiative, an issue that has plagued several state-driven projects in Ghana.
The debate comes amid revelations that the government owes Zipline over GH₵175 million, a financial challenge that has reportedly led to the temporary shutdown of three of its distribution centres, raising concerns about continuity of service in hard-to-reach communities.
Beneficiaries who rely on Zipline, particularly in northern and rural communities, may be troubled by uncertainties over access to timely, lifesaving supplies if services are disrupted before a fully functional alternative is in place.
