By Jones Anlimah
Zipline, the company behind Ghana’s pioneering medical drone delivery service, has unveiled an ambitious five-year vision to expand the role of drone technology from emergency medical supplies to a fully integrated national system.
During a presentation to journalists, Mr. Roger Frimpong, Head of Business Operations at Zipline, said the aim is to make drones a seamless part of everyday life in Ghana. “In five years, we don’t even want to mention Zipline. We just want to say Ghana has drones and this is how Ghana is using them to improve healthcare, agriculture, postal systems, and e-commerce,” he noted.
Currently, Zipline operates one of the world’s largest medical drone networks, delivering blood, vaccines, and essential medicines to over 3,000 health facilities across the country. The service reaches more than 17 million people and supports over 6,750 life-saving deliveries annually.
Mr. Frimpong explained that the company’s next phase is focused on integration rather than just expansion. “The long-term vision is to ensure that every facility can attend to patients because there is ready access to medicines, blood, and vaccines as needed. Once integrated, we believe there will be more confidence in the health system, and more importantly, better outcomes for our citizens,” he said.
Zipline is also piloting new innovations, including smaller “baby drones” designed for use in commercial and urban environments. These could soon be deployed in Ghana, broadening the scope of drone-assisted services beyond healthcare.
Health experts point to evidence of reduced maternal mortality and improved vaccine distribution as early indicators of how transformative drone technology has already been. They believe the next five years could mark a turning point in the use of technology to strengthen Ghana’s public health system.
As Ghana continues to invest in innovation, Zipline’s vision signals a future where drones are no longer a novelty but a standard feature of healthcare and logistics infrastructure nationwide.
