Drones

Zipline receives State Secretary Prize

Zipline receives the Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence in Health Security, a great honor – and confirmation for the worldwide delivery of medical drones.

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Zipline, the world’s leading provider of immediate logistics, was today recognized with the U.S. Department of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) in health security. The award, presented by Foreign Minister Antony J. Blinken, recognizes Zipline’s work to improve health security, access and equal opportunities in Ghana.

Foreign Minister Blinken, who spoke to Zipline in Nigeria last November, said at today’s ceremony: “Zipline, a company that I first became aware of about five or six years ago, is doing a remarkable job and has partnered with the Ghanaian government Teamed up to deliver more than 250,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses and it is able to travel to remote areas that would otherwise have great difficulty getting the vaccine or other medication. These efforts literally save lives. “

Since 2019, Zipline has been working with the Ghanaian government, the Ministry of Health and its agencies, and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to transform Ghana’s health system and provide more effective and equitable care to people across the country. Zipline serves over 1,900 healthcare facilities in Ghana, where it has made more than 130,000 commercial deliveries, flown over 10 million autonomous miles, and delivered millions of vaccines. The company is currently working on expanding its reach across the country with the construction of four new distribution centers across Ghana and the upcoming delivery of medical products and consumables direct to patients’ homes.

Zipline enables healthcare facilities to securely receive medical products such as vaccines, blood and medication in around 30 minutes, improving access while reducing delivery emissions by up to 98% compared to traditional delivery methods. Working with organizations such as GAVI, Pfizer, and UPS, Zipline provides a cost-effective solution to support COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Ghana while reducing vaccine waste and the need for costly cold chain infrastructure investments. To date, Zipline has helped deliver hundreds of thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Our work in Ghana shows the transformative power of immediate logistics to strengthen health systems,” said Daniel Marfo, Zipline senior vice president for Africa. “Together with our partners in government, we are pioneering a new, more effective, and fairer model of health – one where every patient across the country has access to the tests, treatments and supplies they need wherever they are. The Foreign Minister’s recognition confirms our approach of setting an international standard for building a safe and sustainable system that improves access to health and equal opportunities around the world. “

Stephanie S. Sullivan, US Ambassador to Ghana, described Zipline as “a real turning point for Ghanaians” when she presented today’s award. “Zipline’s logistics network has made it a critical element of Ghana’s COVID-19 response,” Sullivan said. “In the past two years, the company has shipped over a quarter of a million COVID-19 vaccine doses, personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 test kits to remote locations across the country.”

As one of the highest honors from the US State Department, the Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence recognizes US companies that embody American values ​​and international best practices and demonstrate leadership in their international operations. The Health Security category recognizes Zipline’s work in improving access to critical health security products through its instant logistics infrastructure. The award was accepted on behalf of the company by Daniel Marfo, Zipline’s senior vice president for Africa.

Read about zipline in the US for Walmart, medical care in Utah, in Ghana, and zipline investments.

Ian attended the Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he now contributes to DroneLife.

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional marketplace for drone services, and a passionate observer of the emerging drone industry and regulatory environment for drones. Author of over 3,000 articles focusing on the commercial drone space, Miriam is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam graduated from the University of Chicago and has over 20 years experience in high-tech sales and marketing for emerging technologies.
For advice or writing on the drone industry, email Miriam.

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