Zipline, a global leader in autonomous drone logistics, has partnered with Kericho County in the Rift Valley region to enable improved medical supplies access for health facilities using drones. This partnership was officially launched this week at the Sigowet sub-county hospital by H. E. Dr. Erick Mutai, the Governor of Kericho County.
This historic collaboration between Zipline and the County Government is set to revolutionize healthcare for both emergencies and routine care, enabling the swift delivery of life-saving supplies such as vaccines, blood products, anti-venom, and anti-rabies treatments to over 200 healthcare facilities.
Since 2016, Zipline has been at the forefront of drone technology, starting in Rwanda with deliveries of blood products to remote hospitals. Having completed over one million successful autonomous drone deliveries since then, the company’s technology has redefined healthcare logistics in multiple African countries and is now set to bring these benefits to Kericho.
“As a county, we assessed the healthcare challenges we face and recognized the potential of this technology to address them. With this partnership, patients with diabetes or snake bites, common issues in the Soit Sigowet region, will now receive real-time delivery of critical medicines,” said H.E. Dr. Mutai Erick Kipkoech, the Governor of Kericho County. “With this novel drone technology, time wastage in health product supply accessibility will be a thing of the past. This technology will also minimize delays in accessing life-saving interventions, ensuring that pregnant women and other patients will no longer need to be referred to other facilities solely because of the non-availability of medicines and other health products, especially those needed in emergencies.”
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Kericho joins Kisumu County as the second County to have embraced this approach and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Zipline. Through this partnership, technology will be utilized to streamline inventory management, minimize waste, and lower costs by enabling optimized resource allocation. A 2022 study published in The Lancet concluded that by centralizing Rwanda’s blood supply and delivering it on-demand, Zipline reduced blood expiries by 67% between 2019-2019.
Most importantly, this partnership is poised to support improved health outcomes in the County. A study by Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that in Rwanda, Zipline reduced in-hospital maternal mortality due to postpartum hemorrhage by 51%. Kericho County hopes to realize these same or greater benefits from utilization of drone delivery.
Zipline Kenya’s Country Operations Manager, Luke Barasa, highlighted the partnership’s life-saving potential. He said, “Our drones operate in all weather conditions, day or night, in high winds, and even during the rainy season. This resilience ensures we fulfil our mission of saving lives. Whether there’s a medical emergency at night or during a storm, our drones will deliver the necessary supplies, ensuring no one is left without critical care.”Â
Recognizing the challenges posed by staff shortages and the integration of new technology, Kericho County has initiated measures to confirm contract staff, creating a more supportive work environment. Dr. Peter Mugun, Medical Superintendent at Sigowet Sub-County Hospital, highlighted the County’s commitment to providing healthcare workers with the necessary training, resources, and recognition, ensuring the smooth adoption of Zipline’s technology.
Beyond healthcare, Zipline’s initiative is set to create local employment opportunities and drive innovation in Kericho. 100% of Zipline’s employees in Kenya are Kenyan. By training local talent to operate and maintain its state-of-the-art technology, Zipline contributes to the country’s economic growth while positioning it as a leader in leveraging advanced technologies for public service delivery.
The potential of Zipline’s drones extends beyond healthcare, with applications in agriculture, disaster relief, and other sectors, promising to serve as a model for broader technological adoption across Kenya and beyond.
