Zipline, an American drone delivery services company, says it has begun commercial deliveries of essential medical products to health facilities within Cross River.
The company in a statement on Tuesday said that this followed a successful approval and a right to fly certification from the Civil Aviation Authorities in Nigeria.
Catherine Odiase, General Manager of Zipline Nigeria, said that as part of the Memorandum of Understanding with Cross River, the company would build and operate two distribution centres where it would store essential medicines and vaccines.
She explained that health workers would place orders by text message or call and promptly receive their deliveries exactly when and where they need them in 30 minutes on average.
“Our technology is proven to be one of choice for the last mile delivery. This partnership with Cross River will allow us to start seeing very significant improvements in the delivery of essential medicines and vaccines to health facilities within our operational area,” Odiase said.
She said that Zipline was deeply indebted to the state government and all the agencies that worked tirelessly to get the required certification for the commencement of commercial deliveries in the state.
Also, Mr Godwin Ipuole, the Health Officer in-charge of Primary Health Centre,Ibil, Ogoja, commended the state government for the bold decision to use technology to remove the access barriers that many far-to-reach communities, like Ibil, face in the course of their work.
