In April, 2019, the former Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, introduced what turned out to be the world’s biggest medical delivery service using drones when he launched the Zipline Medical Drone Delivery Service in Ghana.
The service started in 2019 with four stations delivering essential medical supplies through drones to over 2000 health facilities within minutes in emergency situations in remote areas across the country.
The medical drone delivery service, initially ridiculed by the then opposition National Democratic Congress as a “fantasy and unrealistic”, has not only become a game changer in Ghana’s health delivery system but also set an international standard, hence attracting lots of commendations from international leaders and organisations.
Six years after Ghana introduced this innovative delivery of medical supplies to save time and particularly reach out to areas that it takes many hours to access healthcare, England has now adopted this game-changing innovation.
In a Facebook post on Saturday April 12, 2025, the NHS (National Health Service) in England has celebrated a milestone in their health delivery service by their successful introduction of delivering essential medical supplies using drones.
“In a new innovation, urgent blood samples are being transported across London – using drones! Transporting samples for high-risk patients between Hospitals at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust can take more than 30 minutes by road. Now, using high-tech drones, this can be as quick as two minutes.
“The new partnership between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Apian Aero and Wing is helping clinicians achieve quicker results, so patients can get the best possible care and return home sooner. Amazing work!”, they wrote.
This celebration by the NHS England regarding achieving a watershed in their health service is a testament of the great vision of Ghana’s former Vice President, Dr Bawumia, who paved the way for such innovation in Ghana and also tells the remarkable development that the country has made in streamlining the health sector.
