A $12 million contract for the design, installation and operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVS), otherwise known as drones, for the delivery of medicines and other medical supplies to health facilities across the country has been awarded.
The contract has been awarded through sole sourcing to Zipline International Incorporated following an approval from the Public Procurement Authority, whose 16th November, 2018, correspondence to the Minister of Health and signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the authority AB Adjei stated, among others, that “we also noted the rather strong argument put up by the Service Provider to justify their pricing; indicating that the price offered to the Ministry of Health is comparable to prices for similar operations in other jurisdictions.
In the given circumstance, the Board was of the view that the Ministry and its stakeholders had satisfied themselves that the cost of the project would obtain value for money to inure to the benefit of the state.
In line with Section 40(1) (a) of Act 663 as amended, the Board grants approval to Ministry of Health to engage Messrs Zipline International Inc. for the design, installation and operation of unmanned area vehicles at a cost of $12,527,000 over a four-year period.”
The journey to the signing of the deal with the service provider started with a correspondence from Cabinet headlined, “Request For Approval To Use The Source Procurement Method For The Drone Delivery System By Zipline International For The Delivery Of Blood Supplies And Emergency Medical Supplies.”
Following the approval of the memorandum, the Minister of Health was directed to apply to the Public Procurement Authority for the necessary approval.
In line with due diligence regarding such important public transactions, especially as it is hinged on the sole sourcing method, the National Security Council Secretariat was tasked to do a background check on the service provider, the result from which was positive.
A portion of the report from the National Security Council Secretariat regarding the subject reads: “Checks confirmed that Zipline International Inc. USA is a Silicon Valley based Logistics Company that designs, manufactures and operates small robot airplanes (drones) to deliver medical products on demand in harsh terrains.
“It’s funded by some of the world’s leading venture capital firms, including Andreesen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital and Temasek Holdings.
“Checks revealed that the President of Rwanda, Paul Kigame, on 10th October, 2016, launched Rwanda’s first national drone delivery service in partnership with Zipline International Inc to improve on public health delivery system in the country.
In the light of the foregoing, the National Security Coordinator Joshua Kyeremeh concluded that “the Secretariat can confirm that Zipline International Inc is a credible entity and has the capability to deliver emergency medical products across Ghana.”
The drone service has suffered enormous polemics at the hands of the opposition NDC, whose activists sought to give it a bad name and hang it.
The Vice President, who has been championing the cause of facilitating a drone-driven medical service along the lines of Rwanda, was on the line of their fire.
With the Public Procurement Authority and the National Security Council Secretariat giving bills of good health for the project and Zipline winning the contract, they might now sheath their swords.
Even more relieving is the information that some National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs are scheduled to fly to Rwanda to catch a glimpse of the drones in action.
Source: Daily Guide
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buy ambulances also
Waste of money. That's another way of getting kickbacks. Where in Ghana do they want to deliver medicines and medical supplies that human beings can go? What about the unemployed graduates / school leavers?
Even in America, drones do not deliver medicine at one's door step. our shallow minded politicians have misplaced priorities. why the need for drone? why can't they use the money to develop agriculture, storage facilities and energy? These low thinking politicians in ghana always want to follow others blindly. Americans use drones to fight wars. This is because they have mastered or perfected food security.This government is only trying to create , loot and steal in my opinion. Pay doctors well, build world class hospitals in every region, import quality drugs and all will be well.
First, we don't need that drone to be delivering any blood products to anybody in this country. It is a great mockery of democratic governance and accountability and development to engage in such a prankish exercise with our national purse as a country. Two, traditionally, how do we as a people consider the issue of blood transfusion? Most a Ghanaian would not accept blood transfusion for any reason. So when you decide to engage in such conduct, what is there meaning of that? Besides, in those supposed inaccessible villages, what kind of health facilities exist there? What kind of health personnel do we have at such facilities? What kind of specialist health personnel do we have there as well as other supporting staff? What kind of specialist health facility exists within a 10, 20 or 30 mile radius? What kind of prescription medicines do we have in such facilities if they exist? Nuamah of the Health Committee of Parliament we are told was justifying the need for such a prank based on some 100 maternal deaths out of 197 which was due to bleeding in 2017. Much as it is most unfortunate and regrettable we had to lose these mothers, the question we need to ask ourselves is include some of those outlined above? If we drill it down further, do we know which villages or health centers these deaths occurred? We need to meet goals of the SGD's but that doesn't mean we will have to engage in the bastardization of democratic governance and development on the altar of unreasoned pervetred pranks because we are being offered something or we have seen it somewhere. It's time to get serious in this country. We repeat it is time to get serious as a country and stop the jokes and the debauchery of governance.
@Kojo, given your description of the drone you say Zipline is to employ in the delivery/supply of blood, then we needn't have gone that far. Three or so doors away from us, in Nigeria, they have built a similar type UAV which can be reconfigured for what that Zipline drone is projected to do. Maybe it is a joke, but if it is really true Ghana has signed off $12 million dollars of taxpayer's money for such a delicate issue of blood, it's products and supply, then we are not effectively, moving in the right direction as a country. Would rather that amount of money was used to regrade those roads to make it possible for people to go to health centers and donate blood after thorough screening in real time before transfusion to any patient who may need it. After all, because of our health situation, there is never a day, you will not get people healthy and unhealthy not at a health center.
I am NOT comfortable with anything sole-sourcing.
Do you know the kind of drones that is used for such service and you are ignorantly saying they cost 100 pounds?
God bless your reign, Dr. Ghanaia ns are very proud of you. keep the good work going.
please bawumia think again. why can't government buy own drones and do own deliveries? how much is the cost of a drone. you can get a well equipped drone for £100. why do you let these little white boys from the west come and cheat you. you still showing inferiority complex. we are sick and tired.