American drone logistics company Zipline’s work with in the Nigerian health sector must be really good.
It is not long since the company and the government announced the official opening of a medical drone distribution centre that would serve thousands of people in the region of Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.
Now the country’s National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) has joined the bandwagon.
The blood services agency says it has entered into a strategic partnership with Zipline International Nigeria to deploy drone technology for the swift and efficient delivery of blood supplies across the country.
“Access to life-saving blood supplies has received a major boost as the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) partners with Zipline International Nigeria Limited to deploy drone technology for efficient blood delivery across the country,” the NBSA said in its announcement.
“The collaboration, which draws expertise from Rwanda’s blood service model, aims to enhance the collection, storage, and distribution of blood, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
"The innovative approach will ensure that hospitals and health centers receive timely blood supplies, reducing delays that often result in loss of lives.”
The agency’s Director General, Professor Saleh Yuguda, described the partnership as a groundbreaking step toward improving Nigeria’s healthcare system, which also emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring the success of healthcare delivery in the country.
The new partnership will be the latest addition to Zipline’s growing influence in Nigeria; having first opened a distribution centre in the state of Kaduna in 2022.
The original plans were to open three distribution centers in the state, with necessary cold storage facilities to deliver medical supplies at any temperature.
After Kaduna, Cross River and Bayelsa soon followed suit, with the centres distributing health products, including blood, medication, and routine vaccines to communities that were previously hard to reach.
Akin Oyediran, Managing Director of Zipline Nigeria, reiterated the company’s commitment to tackling blood-related emergencies through cutting-edge technology.
Oyediran commended NBSA for embracing innovation, stating that the partnership aligned with Zipline’s mission to reduce preventable deaths caused by delays in blood supply.
“With this initiative, Nigeria joins a growing number of countries leveraging drone technology to strengthen healthcare delivery and emergency response systems,” he said.