Kenya is among the beneficiaries of a major new investment by the United States aimed at transforming healthcare delivery across Africa.
Through the Department of State, the U.S. government announced it would provide up to Ksh19 billion (USD150 million) to a San Francisco-based company known for autonomous drone delivery of medical supplies.
The funding is primarily meant to expand the company's reach to as many health facilities across countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Rwanda.
The initiative is part of a broader partnership between the United States government, American innovators and African policymakers and is focused on strengthening health systems and improving responses to viral diseases.
For countries like Kenya, the initiative is expected to greatly improve the speed and reliability of delivering medical products, which can at times be the difference between living and succumbing to illness.
While the Kenyan government has already begun integrating drone logistics into county health systems, the new funding is expected to accelerate national adoption and expand coverage to more remote regions.
Several rural communities in Kenya and Africa at large face unreliable access to medical supplies such as blood, vaccines and medicines, since poor infrastructure hinders the timely delivery of these services.
In response, the use of drone technology was introduced in the early 2010s to solve the logistical challenges, with Rwanda and Ghana forming part of the pilot programme.
The U.S. government has described the latest initiative as a landmark example of how American-made advanced robotics can be applied in developing countries to solve real health challenges.
Interestingly, the new agreement also introduces a unique financing model which includes milestone-based payments and co-financing from African governments participating in the initiative.
As far as drone technology is concerned, Kenya has adopted it in other sectors besides health. In May, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen proposed to use high-tech surveillance drones with the ability to conduct night patrols to enhance security.
In the agriculture docket, Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has revealed that the government plans to deploy drones to collect critical soil data.
Kagwe disclosed that the government would seek a partnership with aviation companies in the country to equip drones with the necessary software to collect soil data and kickstart the project.
