Kericho County partners with Zipline for drone-based healthcare delivery system

This initiative, officially launched by Kericho County Governor Dr. Erick Mutai at Sigowet Sub-County Hospital, is expected to improve healthcare access by providing timely delivery of essential supplies such as vaccines, blood products, anti-venom, and anti-rabies treatments.

Zipline, known for pioneering drone technology in healthcare, has transformed logistics since its inception in 2016, starting with blood deliveries in Rwanda. The company has completed over one million successful autonomous deliveries and now aims to replicate this success in Kericho, after already implementing the technology in Kisumu County.

Governor Mutai emphasized the importance of this partnership, highlighting how it will address healthcare challenges in Kericho, particularly in remote areas like Soit Sigowet, where access to timely care for conditions like diabetes and snake bites is critical.

"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," Dr Mutai said.

The governor was flanked by the Chief Executive Committee(CEC) member Brenda Bill Bii who revealed that 35 health facilities have been mapped as the first batch to begin with in the county.

Ms Bii said that all the facilities had been mapped but were still waiting for approval in the next coming months.

She revealed that they chose to launch the exercise at the facility since the area was prone to snakebites.

A 2022 study in The Lancet demonstrated Zipline's success in Rwanda, reducing blood product expiries by 67% and cutting maternal mortality from postpartum haemorrhage by 51%. Kericho hopes to achieve similar benefits.

Zipline Kenya’s Country Operations Manager, Luke Barasa, spoke about the resilience and life-saving potential of the drones, noting that they can operate in any weather, ensuring continuous access to medical supplies even during emergencies.

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." 

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.

In addition to healthcare, this initiative will create employment and foster local talent, with all of Zipline’s Kenyan workforce being locally sourced. Beyond medicine, the technology has potential applications in sectors like agriculture and disaster relief, positioning Kenya as a leader in technological innovation for public services.