Drone delivery is an increasingly intriguing technology with a wide array of commercial, scientific and humanitarian applications. Pfizer is supporting efforts to use this innovation to improve timely access to crucial medicines and vaccines for people in remote, underserved communities. In April 2019, we launched a partnership with drone providerZipline and several other partners to help the Government of Ghana build the infrastructure needed to deploy drones in some of the country’s most rural areas – improving access to essential medical products for 12 million patients around the country.

“This emergent technology has the potential to significantly increase access to health care,” says Brittany Hume Charm, Head of Global Partnerships, Zipline. “We're providing millions of people with instant access to urgent medicines – but it takes a village. We’re thankful for support from our partners, like Pfizer, who are helping us revolutionize access to health care.”

The delivery service will provide nearly 150 essential vaccines, blood products and lifesaving medications to 2,000 health facilities. Health care workers will be able to spend less time driving across the country to obtain supplies and more time with patients – giving them the care they need, when they need it. The drones’ electronic health management system will also contribute to strengthening the overall health system by identifying supply chain efficiencies and facilitating the tracking of disease patterns and health care needs.

To learn more about Pfizer’s partnership with Zipline, visit the “Diverse Perspectives” podcasthere. The podcast features a discussion between host Angela Hwang, Group President, Pfizer Biopharmaceuticals Group, and Dhruv Boddupalli of Zipline, on how drone delivery can help get millions of people almost instant access to urgent medical supplies.