American start-up company Zipline has a dedication to increasing access to necessary goods for people across the world. One of Zipline’s main objectives is to help improve health care both domestically and globally. Africa, in particular, could benefit greatly from the company’s services. Here is some information about how Zipline drones have been beneficial in Africa.
Health Care and Poverty in Africa
Health care in Africa has been the worst in the world for quite some time, specifically in its sub-Saharan regions. Most of the area simply does not have the infrastructure or available resources to adequately serve the public. Because of this, half of Africa’s health services and supplies come from the private sector.
Many African countries, such as Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, spend less than 10% of their budgets on health care. These nations also have an insufficient number of doctors for their populations. It is not uncommon to see one doctor for every 1,000 people. The need for proper health care on the continent will only increase as its population continues to grow. More than half of the people living in poverty worldwide are in Africa. Even if there were more doctors and medical supplies available, it is likely that many people would not be able to afford them.
About Zipline
Zipline is a U.S. start-up that launched in 2016. The company’s primary objective is to solve the world’s various accessibility problems. It aims to accomplish this goal by using technology to create an innovative delivery system. Since its creation, Zipline has serviced many countries around the world and continues to add more locations to its operation.
Zipline makes its deliveries via electric aerial drones. In addition to making goods more accessible to people, the company also assists with other regional issues. For instance, by using aerial drones, there are fewer delivery vehicles on the road and thus less traffic. Also, by using renewable energy, there is less air pollution, carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels.
One of the major goods that Zipline transports are medical supplies. Whether it is due to a lack of resources or funding, there are many people in the world without access to adequate health care. By delivering medical supplies worldwide, Zipline is making proper health care services more attainable for even the world’s poorest nations.
Zipline Drones in Africa
In its early years of operation, Zipline serviced African countries such as Ghana and Rwanda – the location of its first flight. In 2016, the company successfully delivered blood to a hospital via drone. Prior to this, getting emergency blood to a hospital took up to three hours. Zipline was able to reduce that time down to just 15 minutes.
In addition to blood, Zipline’s drone service delivers vaccines. In mid-2021, cases of malaria in Ghana reached between 20 and 30 a day. Once the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the distribution of a malaria vaccine, Zipline got to work. In January 2022, the company began delivering the vaccine to high-risk areas, including Ghana.
Moreover, it appears that Zipline has hardly begun reaching its potential. In 2022, it will be distributing medical supplies and vaccines to two more African nations, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Nigeria will be operating with three distribution centers and the Ivory Coast will have four. Both nations will be looking to use the delivery service to strengthen their health care systems.
The Impact of Zipline Drones
Following its first flight in 2016, the company expanded its services to various countries around the world. Within its first year of operation, Zipline made deliveries to 12 hospitals in Rwanda alone. Five years later, it provided 75% of Rwanda’s blood supply. It also delivers vaccines to hundreds of hospitals throughout the country.
Zipline is now collaborating with governments of various countries to create a convenient delivery service to improve healthcare across the globe. Zipline’s drones are quick and efficient, meaning that they can save delivery times of supplies and vaccines from a few hours to a few minutes. The time saved could easily be the difference in saving someone’s life.
In just five years, Zipline was able to make more than 200,000 deliveries in five countries, serve 1,900+ medical facilities and deliver 4.5 million doses of medical supplies. As its technology and logistics continue to improve, Zipline will be able to reach even more people worldwide. With strong infrastructure already in place, the company expects to make quality healthcare accessible to billions of people in the world who cannot otherwise attain it.
– Tyshon Johnson
Photo: Flickr
The Project Fighting Housing Poverty in Hong Kong
Some visitors to Hong Kong would likely say the food or the neon nightscape are the most impressive things about the city. However, others might say that it is the expensive housing prices that make Hong Kong “impressive.” According to Demographia’s International Housing Affordability report in 2022, Hong Kong has the world’s least affordable housing market, with a median multiple of 23.2, which is an income-price ratio of the median house price over the total median household income. In short, the housing crisis is a pressing issue in Hong Kong, leading to a social problem known as housing poverty. This article will discuss the issue of Hong Kong’s housing poverty and how a local council, The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), has committed to tackling this problem by launching the Community Housing Movement.
Housing Poverty in Hong Kong
Everyone deserves to live comfortably, yet, this can be a dream for many Hong Kong citizens. According to a study by Professor Yip Ngai-ming in 2020, middle-income households would have to spend about 20 years of their income to purchase a 60-square-meter apartment for $1.24 million. Therefore, for low-income families, having their own houses has become even more difficult.
While renting is an option for many citizens, it is still expensive. For instance, those subdivided units (SDUs) – are some small divided units in converted apartments and are often located in old buildings. According to a report that the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong produced in 2016, there were 88,900 households residing in SDUs and the median monthly rent for these households was $4,500. On the other hand, the monthly income of these households was $13,500.
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)
While the housing problem is a tricky issue for the government to handle, the local council known as the HKCSS commits to tackling housing poverty by improving the living condition of those less fortunate citizens. As a non-governmental organization, the HKCSS’s objective is to plan and coordinate social welfare and relief projects in the city, such as the Community Housing Movement.
Community Housing Movement
The HKCSS launched the project in September 2017 with the support of the government, as well as working alongside other organizations including the Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund) and The Community Chest of Hong Kong. According to the HKCSS’s website, the project aimed to grant short-term relief for families and individuals who needed transitional housing and had been waiting for Public Rental Housing for at least 3 years or desperately needed community support.
To do so, the organization acted as an intermediary platform in searching for and renovating empty residential properties from private developers before subletting them to suitable NGOs as operators. Moreover, the HKCSS emphasized the provision of community support for citizens to help them with their living challenges and improve their living conditions. In short, the organization focused on both housing conditions and community-based empowerment.
Accomplishments
In November 2020, 14 social service agencies became service operators participating in the Community Housing Movement. They provided 506 housing units to 650 low-income households. Among the families, more than 90% were on the public housing waiting list. In addition, according to a survey that the Hong Kong Polytechnic University conducted, the overall financial stress of citizens who had moved into those social housing units became almost 30% less.
Looking Ahead
Overall, housing poverty is an urgent issue that the Hong Kong government has to face. Despite the problem being a challenging one, some local NGOs have stepped in, including the HKCSS. By offering transitional houses and community support to grassroots households, the Community Housing Movement began to impact those families.
– Mimosa Ngai
Photo: Flickr
Women in Tech in Nigeria: Empowerment Through Technology
What is Women in Tech in Nigeria?
Women in Tech in Nigeria is both a nonprofit and an association, established for the purpose of empowering women girls and women through technology. It advocates for female leadership in the tech industry, equips women with digital skills, supports female entrepreneurship and campaigns for reforms that promote gender equality.
The categories of women WITIN targets include university students at any level of study in order to foster their interest in the tech industry, female graduates early in their careers, women returning to the workforce to whom WITIN provides returning programs and professionals switching from other industries to the tech industry. WITIN also caters to female entrepreneurs looking to technology for business growth, female veterans in the technology industry and rural women seeking jobs.
The organization partners with schools and educators to promote STEM subjects among girls and provides internship and volunteer opportunities to directly mentor them. Men who want to support women in technology can do so through WITIN’s #HeforShe movement. By bringing together women from different backgrounds in technology, WITIN has created a support system for women in the tech industry.
Recent Achievement
In 2022, Women in Tech in Nigeria stood as the runner-up for the WSIS Prize due to its WomenPRIDE.Africa program. WSIS refers to the World Summit on the Information Society, a U.N.-backed annual forum for those using information and communications technology (ICT) to promote sustainable development. The WomenPRIDE.Africa program promotes digital outreach to marginalized women, giving them access to the digital economy and teaching them marketable digital skills.
Notable Leadership
Martha Omoekpen Alade, the current executive director of Women in Tech in Nigeria, officially established the nonprofit association in 2009. She partnered with Google in 2011 to set up the Grassroots Women Empowerment Through ICT (GWEIT) online platform for women-run small businesses in rural Nigeria and these businesses continue to have an online presence even after the termination of the platform.
Alade led WITIN to partner with USAID and Intel in their respective initiatives, Women and the Web Alliance and She Will Connect, to empower women through technology, create entrepreneurship opportunities for young women in Nigeria and more. In 2019, Alade received the Community Impact Award at the Technology Playmaker Awards held annually by the digital tech lead Booking.com for WITINs efforts to harness technology to uplift 20,000 impoverished girls and women by 2022.
Looking Ahead
As the world grows more and more digitally interconnected, technology has evolved from a tool of economic development to one that promotes social and political development. Technology plays a critical role in the advancement of women’s rights and Women in Tech in Nigeria is one of many examples that solidifies this. It is, therefore, crucial to support advocacy efforts for gender equality and eliminate gender gaps in all industries altogether. This will be to the benefit of the communities in which empowered women live.
– Kena Irungu
Photo: WikkiCommons
The Jackson Yee Incident and Income Inequality in China
Jackson Yee and The National Theatre of China
Yee, 22, rose to fame as a TFBOYS singer, but since then has acted in a number of films including Better Days, nominated for an Oscar in 2019. He has over 90 million followers on Sina Weibo, the Chinese social media platform.
There are two key doubts about Yee’s acceptance to the National Theatre. First, Chinese netizens questioned Yee’s eligibility to apply for the National Theatre of China. First, to be eligible one had to be unemployed, but Yee obviously wasn’t. In addition, when doubts escalated, the National Theatre of China refused to release interview videos and application details that the government required. Yee’s hire angered so many Chinese people not only because of celebrity privilege in the job market but also because of the overarching issue of huge income inequality in China that has long been a source of concern among netizens.
The Huge Income Gap Between Celebrities and Ordinaries in China
In China, the income of celebrities is unimaginable for ordinary people. For instance, Zhang Yixing, one of the most famous rap stars in China, paid $2.8 million in taxes in 2018.
And the income inequality in China goes beyond the most popular celebrities. Even tepid and unknown stars appearing in a single commercial performance earn tens of thousands of yuan. On the other hand, office workers in big cities may earn between 7,000 yuan and 10,000 yuan a month (equivalent to $1037 and $1482) while in remote counties, wages average no more than 3,000 yuan (equivalent to $44) a month. In particular, this income inequality has caused outrage on social media.
Efforts To Cap Celebrity Salaries
In response to that netizen outrage, the Chinese government has embarked on a series of measures to correct disparities. In 2018, China introduced a new mandatory policy that in television production, the salary of the leading actor cannot exceed 70% of the sum of the salary of all artists and 40% of the total production cost. This means that extremely high salaries for actors will be a thing of the past.
Moreover, China is enforcing this rule. For example, Zheng Shuang, a well-known Chinese actress, earned $25 million for appearing in just 77 days of a TV show. After public outcry, an investigation found that the production company did not follow the protocols and that Shuang had evaded taxes between 2019 and 2020. The government ordered the production to not hire Shuang again, and fined Shuang $45 million in back taxes.
Efforts to Raise Income Level of Rural Chinese
In addition to making the income of celebrities more reasonable, the Chinese government is also committed to improving the income level of the general public. This is the key to reducing income inequality in China. The Chinese government plans that by 2035, the rural population with lower incomes today will experience a 157% increase in income. Further, in order to achieve this goal, China will build digital infrastructures in rural areas to make the production and life of rural people more efficient, thereby creating greater economic benefits. If this plan can be carried out smoothly, by 2035 the income inequality in China between celebrities and ordinary people should be significantly reduced.
-Ella Li
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
How Netflix is Helping Underrepresented Creators
On August 23, 2022, Netflix announced that the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity was coming to Africa. Over the past few years, Netflix has endeavored to be a platform that supports marginalized groups that have underrepresented creators in the entertainment industry. The Netflix Fund for Creative Equity was the result of the efforts. The scope of its work first covered the U.S. followed by the U.K. and Canada, and now includes the African continent, beginning with Western and Central Africa.
The Creative Equity Scholarship Fund
Netflix launched the Fund on February 26, 2021. It was the result of a two-year research study by Netflix and Dr. Stacy L. Smith of the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, a think tank that promotes research, advocacy and action for inclusion amd diversity in the entertainment industry. While great strides were occurring concerning gender equality, Netflix was lagging when it came to the representation of race, ethnic groups, the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities. As a result, Netflix provided $100 million for investment within the span of five years to create more opportunities for existing underrepresented creators and train new ones in the entertainment industry. The Fund also aims to support other organizations fighting for diversity inclusion by partnering up with them.
Netflix in Africa
In 2022, $1 million is supporting qualified students from five media schools and universities focused on television and film production. The Netflix Creative Equity Fund provides the scholarship and has partnered with Dalberg, a New York-based international consulting firm to manage its implementation. The schools in partnership with the fund are located in four African countries. These include:
Media is a powerful tool that shapes and changes lives and Netflix understands this. It provides the platform to show what is and is not possible to the poor, the marginalized and the underserved and underrepresented creators from the groups must have the opportunity to tell their own stories. In this way, people can better understand others from all walks of life, including their struggles and what is truly necessary in the world to better shape it and change it.
– Kena Irungu
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Seeking Safety: The Implications of the Nationality and Borders Act
The Requirements for Asylum Seekers
The act’s main changes to previous laws surrounding immigration include the imposition of a two-tier labeling system, categorizing asylum seekers as either Group 1 or Group 2 refugees.
Furthermore, asylum seekers are now subject to a dual standard of proof to demonstrate that they are fleeing their home country due to “a well-founded fear of being persecuted.” Previously, the standard of proof was a “reasonable likelihood” of persecution. Now, the dual standard of proof assesses the situation based on both “a reasonable likelihood” and “balance of probabilities.” These standards leave some disparities within protection and support.
The Controversies
The Nationality and Borders Act functions on a system of differential treatment for asylum seekers traveling to the U.K. via a route that is not classified as ‘safe and legal.’ Those who pass by other ‘safe’ countries and do not claim asylum there are penalized for doing so and are placed in Group 2, which often denies them long-term residence and results in unfavorable treatment in comparison to Group 1 refugees. It is also possible that the U.K. will simply declare them ‘inadmissible.’ According to the International Rescue Committee, there are few “safe and legal routes to the U.K.”
Furthermore, by deeming the passing of a ‘safe country’ as a failure to seek asylum, the act does not account for numerous complications that may prevent an asylum seeker from stopping there. The new rules do not account for individual circumstances. For instance, an individual under the control of a smuggler, an individual enduring circumstances of violence, unsuitability of a certain country due to the refugee’s specific characteristics and a need to reside in the U.K. for purposes of family, cultural or linguistic links.
The Impact on Vulnerable Women
These new restrictions also pose specific risks to women. Research by Women for Refugee Women finds that around four out of five female asylum seekers have fled from dangers of a sexual and gender discriminatory nature. As a result of the sensitive and complex nature of trauma, victims struggle to promptly disclose the details of the violence, with research finding memory loss or inability to verbalize trauma as a common side effect of the trauma itself.
Once arriving in the U.K., any delay in applying for asylum and submitting evidence will lead to a penalty. Delayed submission of evidence impacts applicants’ credibility and could, therefore, hold “minimal weight by the decision-maker” assessing the asylum application. This deters applications from many traumatized women who have experienced violence and abuse.
The Route to Rwanda
Arguably one of the biggest controversies associated with the Nationality and Borders Act is the U.K.’s decision in April 2022 to relocate some U.K. asylum seekers to Rwanda as part of a £120 million agreement. The public views this as a ‘penalty’ as the U.K. will not permit some asylum seekers to return to the U.K. It is possible that this aspect is a breach of Article 31 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which states that even immigrants entering illegally will not be subject to penalties while fleeing persecution.
Despite global recognition of Rwanda’s growth and development, fact-checking by Deutsche Welle reveals issues. Over the years, reports indicate limitations on freedom of speech in the country, with violent consequences arising for journalists, politicians and others who have spoken ill of the government. Although homosexuality is not illegal, Rwanda is known for its intolerance of sexual minority groups, with the U.K. government’s own foreign travel advice page warning of abuse and discrimination.
Overcoming the Barriers to Safety
An Equality Impact Assessment for the Nationality and Borders Act has prompted the government’s promise to mitigate any negative effects of the act experienced by vulnerable refugees such as women, children and those with disabilities. The government has also vowed to improve legal aid accessibility.
Working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the U.K. government has committed to ensuring equality and fairness within resettlement programs for refugees. The U.K government also permits the Home Secretary to exercise discretion and allow asylum for refugees facing special circumstances.
The International Rescue Committee is an organization committed to providing humanitarian assistance to refugees seeking safety and highlights the need for the creation of safe routes for asylum seekers. If the U.K. delivers and increases the availability of resettlement schemes, such as the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, and prioritizes its application and support systems, it has the chance to prove that the Nationality and Borders Act will serve as an anchor to those seeking safety and not a barrier.
– Lydia Tyler
Photo: WikiCommons
UN Education Fund Sees Success in 2021 Report
Around the world, 222 million children and adolescents are currently experiencing conflict and crises. Of those children, 78.2 million are unable to attend school and 119.6 million face barriers to an adequate education. The findings come from the United Nations’ education fund in crisis-impacted countries, Education Cannot Wait, in its 2021 report.
Education Cannot Wait is the U.N.’s first global fund for “education in emergencies and protracted crises.” The fund underwent establishment in 2016 at the World Humanitarian Summit and aims to ensure that every child can attain an education, regardless of their circumstances.
Despite global challenges, ECW found many successes in 2021, from increased funding to the number of children it was able to serve with its programs. Titled “We Have Promises to Keep,” the 2021 report highlights the fund’s record highs in education grants and mobilization as well as improved gender parity in its educational programs.
Findings
Successes
Looking Ahead
Education Cannot Wait’s “We Have Promises to Keep” report shows that even in the face of increased global challenges, significant progress can occur. Despite setbacks in the education sector, the fund broke records and targets set in 2016. However, keeping increasing trends in conflict and crises and their impact on education in mind, more work if necessary.
– Ramona Mukherji
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
US Pledges $55 Million Following Earthquake in Afghanistan
Distribution of Funds
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on June 28, 2022, that it will allocate $55 million in aid for emergency relief resources such as shelter, food, water, clothing and hygiene products in Afghanistan. A portion of the aid will go toward sanitation measures to limit the spread of waterborne diseases. Funds will go directly to partner civil societies and nonprofit organizations operating in the region as the U.S. does not have official diplomatic or humanitarian ties with the ruling Taliban.
Additional Aid Efforts in Afghanistan
The devastating earthquake exacerbates the economic and humanitarian crises that have pummeled Afghanistan since the Taliban first rose to power in August of 2021. Afghani citizens already face food insecurity, with national hunger rising from 14 million in July 2021 to 23 million in March 2022.
With more than half of the population facing food insecurity, international assistance narrowly managed to avoid full-scale famine in the country in the winter of 2022. Poverty rates in the country are estimated to stand at almost 97% as of 2022 due to prolonged drought and instability caused by recent political upheaval and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 25, 2022, the United Nations initiated an emergency appeal for $110 million in aid to help the provinces most affected by the disaster. The U.N. will disseminate the funds in the next three months in order to help 360,000 Afghanistan citizens. This emergency appeal is integral to the U.N.’s Humanitarian Response for Afghanistan, which calls for a total of $4.4 billion in emergency aid.
Barriers to Aid
Unfortunately, the Taliban’s strict control over the country complicates all international humanitarian efforts. In late March 2022, the Taliban’s Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund announced to all foreign aid agencies in Afghanistan that all humanitarian projects must be done in close coordination with Kabul’s authorities. This announcement came a week after the governor of the province of Ghor, Ghulam Naser Khaze, attempted to exert total control over several local NGOs.
Governor Khaze insisted that the NGOs turn over their funds and only adopt projects chosen by the local government. Prime Minister Mullah’s directives and Governor Khaze’s actions in Ghor represent a policy framework known as the “Monitoring and Control Plan of NGOs.” Kabul’s Taliban government formulated this plan in the fall of 2021 to consolidate all NGO activities under the Taliban’s authority.
Sanctions and other measures aim to prevent the Taliban from fully implementing its NGO-control framework. As a result, international financial systems are especially diligent, making it difficult for humanitarian groups to access the funds efficiently. The Taliban continues to actively insert itself between nonprofit organizations and the aid they seek to provide via various formal and informal decrees, further frustrating the fund distribution process.
How to Help
As a result of international sanctions on the Taliban, online fundraising sites cannot be transferred to Afghanistan banks. The best way to help those affected by the earthquake is to donate directly to NGOs in the region. Below is a list of NGOs helping those struggling in Afghanistan.
The international community is rushing to help those affected by the crisis. Still, everyone can help in their own small way. Be sure to remain an active and informed global citizen by vocalizing the importance of foreign aid funds to local government representatives. Through the efforts of nations, NGOs and ordinary citizens, Afghanistan can look to a brighter tomorrow.
– Mollie Lund
Photo: Flickr
7 Facts About Foreign Aid to Paraguay
7 Facts About Foreign Aid to Paraguay
Eradicating global poverty is a group effort. As it stands, 8.6% of the world lives in extreme poverty and foreign aid works as a critical tool in the fight to end poverty. Through global action, poverty in Paraguay can diminish.
– Michael Cardamone
Photo: Flickr
Ecuador Uses AI to Help Students to Improve
In Ecuador, a country where poverty is a prominent social issue, education stands as an essential pathway out of impoverishment. In a modern world where technology is thriving, combining technology and education is beneficial to the population. Starting January 2021, Ecuador has been using AI to help students understand math to a greater extent.
Higher Education in Ecuador
According to CEIC Data, in 2015, the percentage of adults aged 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification stood at just 12%. Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many higher education students in Ecuador faced learning losses or gaps.
With the help of funding from the World Bank, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT) in Ecuador started offering “artificial intelligence (AI) assisted academic support in math” to new students starting their higher education. According to the World Bank, “using AI [has] enabled access to large-scale, low-cost academic remediation programs.”
The program has improved math results for students, which will, in turn, increase skills and job opportunities. This is changing the face of Ecuadorian remedial education. The use of AI to help students will help solve any recurring problem of lowered access to face-to-face classes due to weather, lack of transportation or sickness.
Implementation
The conventional method for a school to provide extra courses to pupils with learning gaps was to hire a private tutor after school hours. Most parents had the same issues with their children — the children faced difficulty understanding course work. However, not everyone could afford the privilege of hiring a tutor. But, for those who could, parents found it difficult to ensure that each student would be helped in a customized way that caters to their individual pace of learning.
Now, with the help of technology, students are able to access academic support to improve their performance in math. The new AI-powered learning platform is able to tailor tutoring to students’ strengths and weaknesses and prior learning.
According to a February 2022 article by the World Bank, the portal has provided assistance to “more than 14,000 students in the technical and technological higher education system” since January 2021. With the support and involvement of more than 300 educators, more than 400 technical and technological higher education courses implemented the AI tutoring program.
The Importance
According to the World Bank, as of 2020, 33% of Ecuadorians are living under the national poverty line. Access to education can help to combat poverty. According to UNESCO, “if all students in low-income countries had just basic reading skills (nothing else), an estimated 171 million people could escape extreme poverty. If all adults completed secondary education, we could cut the global poverty rate by more than half.”
In this case, providing students with AI-powered academic support to improve their critical skills will help to lay a foundation that paves the path to greater job opportunities. There is a correlation between education and poverty as education provides the skills and knowledge essential for accessing well-paying, skilled employment opportunities to break cycles of poverty. Because of this, access to good quality education is an antidote to poverty. Ecuador’s use of AI to address gaps in learning stands as a step toward the nation’s future economic prosperity.
– Frema Mensah
Photo: WikiCommons
Zipline Drones Deliver Medical Supplies Across Africa
American start-up company Zipline has a dedication to increasing access to necessary goods for people across the world. One of Zipline’s main objectives is to help improve health care both domestically and globally. Africa, in particular, could benefit greatly from the company’s services. Here is some information about how Zipline drones have been beneficial in Africa.
Health Care and Poverty in Africa
Health care in Africa has been the worst in the world for quite some time, specifically in its sub-Saharan regions. Most of the area simply does not have the infrastructure or available resources to adequately serve the public. Because of this, half of Africa’s health services and supplies come from the private sector.
Many African countries, such as Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, spend less than 10% of their budgets on health care. These nations also have an insufficient number of doctors for their populations. It is not uncommon to see one doctor for every 1,000 people. The need for proper health care on the continent will only increase as its population continues to grow. More than half of the people living in poverty worldwide are in Africa. Even if there were more doctors and medical supplies available, it is likely that many people would not be able to afford them.
About Zipline
Zipline is a U.S. start-up that launched in 2016. The company’s primary objective is to solve the world’s various accessibility problems. It aims to accomplish this goal by using technology to create an innovative delivery system. Since its creation, Zipline has serviced many countries around the world and continues to add more locations to its operation.
Zipline makes its deliveries via electric aerial drones. In addition to making goods more accessible to people, the company also assists with other regional issues. For instance, by using aerial drones, there are fewer delivery vehicles on the road and thus less traffic. Also, by using renewable energy, there is less air pollution, carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels.
One of the major goods that Zipline transports are medical supplies. Whether it is due to a lack of resources or funding, there are many people in the world without access to adequate health care. By delivering medical supplies worldwide, Zipline is making proper health care services more attainable for even the world’s poorest nations.
Zipline Drones in Africa
In its early years of operation, Zipline serviced African countries such as Ghana and Rwanda – the location of its first flight. In 2016, the company successfully delivered blood to a hospital via drone. Prior to this, getting emergency blood to a hospital took up to three hours. Zipline was able to reduce that time down to just 15 minutes.
In addition to blood, Zipline’s drone service delivers vaccines. In mid-2021, cases of malaria in Ghana reached between 20 and 30 a day. Once the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the distribution of a malaria vaccine, Zipline got to work. In January 2022, the company began delivering the vaccine to high-risk areas, including Ghana.
Moreover, it appears that Zipline has hardly begun reaching its potential. In 2022, it will be distributing medical supplies and vaccines to two more African nations, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Nigeria will be operating with three distribution centers and the Ivory Coast will have four. Both nations will be looking to use the delivery service to strengthen their health care systems.
The Impact of Zipline Drones
Following its first flight in 2016, the company expanded its services to various countries around the world. Within its first year of operation, Zipline made deliveries to 12 hospitals in Rwanda alone. Five years later, it provided 75% of Rwanda’s blood supply. It also delivers vaccines to hundreds of hospitals throughout the country.
Zipline is now collaborating with governments of various countries to create a convenient delivery service to improve healthcare across the globe. Zipline’s drones are quick and efficient, meaning that they can save delivery times of supplies and vaccines from a few hours to a few minutes. The time saved could easily be the difference in saving someone’s life.
In just five years, Zipline was able to make more than 200,000 deliveries in five countries, serve 1,900+ medical facilities and deliver 4.5 million doses of medical supplies. As its technology and logistics continue to improve, Zipline will be able to reach even more people worldwide. With strong infrastructure already in place, the company expects to make quality healthcare accessible to billions of people in the world who cannot otherwise attain it.
– Tyshon Johnson
Photo: Flickr