UPS Foundation supports world’s largest vaccine drone delivery network

The UPS Foundation—the courier company’s corporate social responsibility arm—has announced its support for the world’s largest vaccine drone delivery network in Ghana.

Following on from a previous endeavour in Rwanda, automated logistics company Zipline has partnered with the government of Ghana to develop a drone network within Ghana’s national healthcare supply chain, ensuring that supplies of life-saving vaccines can reach people across the country.

The drone network will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from four distribution centres that are each equipped with 30 drones, delivering to over 2,000 health facilities that serve 12 million people across Ghana.

UPS is supporting the expansion of the network along with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Gates Foundation; and Pfizer. The logistics giant will be offering technical guidance and consultancy services.

“The ability of the Government to supplement routine immunization on demand will allow us to make sure that there will always be enough life-saving vaccines for every child in Ghana,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi.

“This is an exciting development for Gavi that is ultimately going to ensure we leave no one behind and help us protect more children living in remote areas against vaccine preventable diseases.”

Source and header image: UPS