From Judex Okoro, Calabar
Cross River government has made remarkable improvements in the health sector by delivering 683,643 units of drugs across the state using drone technology.
With the drone technology delivery system by Zipline Ndok, 475 health facilities have been covered in the state.
Zipline also operates in Bayelsa and Kaduna states.
Disclosing this disclosed this at Ogoja during a facility tour of the company by the Cross River State Health Commissioner, Dr. Egbe Ayuk at the weekend, the Fulfilment Operation Lead of Zipline Ndok, Joseph Eyamba, said the drone technology deployed by the firm has helped bridge the gap accessibility of drugs.
Eyamba said communities that were hitherto not accessible are now being reached with ease while in communities where it takes four hours to drive to a facility, Zipline gets there in 40 to 50 minutes.
He listed the deliveries by Zipline to include RI Vaccines and consumables, program medicines (packs), essential medicines, COVID-19 vaccines. as well as over 12,000 doses of cholera vaccines.
He added that Zipline is a logistics system that serves everyone effectively including warehouse and inventory management, and is an end-to-end supply chain solution.
Also speaking, Nobert Ogar, the Community Lead, said through their innovative technology, they can fly and deliver vaccines to hard-to-reach communities when they need them.
He added that their intervention has saved lives and has also paid off because drugs can be accessed across the state.
On his part, Hilary Owoedimo, the State Team Lead/Health Systems Integration Lead, said besides Cross River State, they have the capability of covering thirteen million people and also housing 1.5 million doses of vaccines.
Responding, the State Health Commissioner, Dr Egbe Ayuk, said they are prepared to offer supportive supervision to ensure they find areas in which they can strengthen relationships.
Describing the technology as a wonderful scientific innovation that should be encouraged, he added that drone technology delivery method is the best alternative in states with difficult terrain.