Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has stated, for the avoidance of doubt, that the use of drones to supply essential and lifesaving medical supplies will not be borne by the taxpayer
“This programme is NOT going to be run on the public budget. Corporate Social Responsibility contributions from private sector players will pay for the service. I prefer drones flying to deliver essential medicines to our people than an investment in guinea fowls that allegedly fly off to Burkina Faso without any trace,” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, when he addressed members of the media at an end of year press conference, at Jubilee House, in Accra.
With Government having paid up the GH¢1.2 billion arrears it inherited from the Mahama Government, President Akufo-Addo noted that this has brought the operations of the NHIS back to life.
“We are also in the process of launching the world’s largest and most advanced medical drone delivery network. The four (4) distribution centres, from where the drones will be operating, will stock one hundred and forty-eight (148) lifesaving and essential medical supplies, and not only blood,” he said.
The President continued, “The drone delivery service will save lives, decrease wastage in the system, guarantee healthcare access for more than 14 million people nationwide, and employ over two hundred (200) Ghanaians.”
President Akufo-Addo added further that “the procurement process will enable every constituency to get one ambulance each in the early part of next year. This will not solve the ambulance problem immediately, but it certainly shows more commitment to finding a solution than we have ever seen.”
