The funding model for Ghana’s Zipline drone delivery service is facing intense scrutiny, with a prominent Member of Parliament (MP) arguing that the substantial investment should be immediately redirected to shore up the country’s struggling local blood bank infrastructure.
Professor Titus Beyuo, MP for Lambussie, launched the critique on Channel One on Tuesday, December 2, insisting that the drone service has strayed too far from its original mandate of emergency medical supply, thereby rendering its high cost unjustifiable.
Prioritizing Local Blood Supply
The MP, leveraging his insights into public health logistics, argued that the funds currently allocated to Zipline could be strategically used by the National Blood Service (NBS) to establish and equip storage facilities across all 261 districts.
This investment, he maintains, would ensure that life-saving blood is stored locally and accessible instantly, cutting down on transit time and costs.
Prof. Beyuo did not mince words regarding what he views as a misallocation of resources:
“This money, if given to the National Blood Service, could set up blood bank services across all districts. Blood could be stored locally and used where it is needed, rather than spending on drones to fly non-emergency items like condoms,” Prof. Beyuo said.
He insisted that a shift toward strengthening local blood bank infrastructure would not only ensure more timely access to blood—a vital component in reducing maternal and accident-related mortality—but would also guarantee more efficient use of public funds.
Mandate Drift: The Non-Emergency Cargo
Prof. Beyuo criticised Zipline for moving beyond its core purpose of emergency deliveries for critical items like blood and anti-venom.
He noted that the routine distribution of non-critical items should be handled through Ghana’s existing public health supply chain logistics, which is already budgeted for.
The MP’s claims were substantiated by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who recently confirmed that Zipline is indeed transporting a broad spectrum of non-emergency products.
The items listed by the minister included:
- Contraceptives: Condoms
- Preventative Items: Mosquito nets
- Administrative Supplies: Blood-donor cards
- Nutrition: Food and nutrition supplies
- Consumables: Syringes and needles
- Educational Materials: Textbooks and uniforms
By confirming the transport of items like textbooks and uniforms, the minister’s statement fuelled the argument that Zipline is functioning more as a general logistics contractor than a dedicated emergency response service, justifying the MP’s insistence on redirecting the funds toward building permanent, local health infrastructure.