Major events that will dominate WEF Africa 2016
With just a text message, a health centre in the rural part of the country will receive medicine and blood thanks to the introduction of drone health delivery service.
The unpiloted autonomous planes which weigh around 22 pounds with a capacity of carrying three pounds of medicine are seen to likely bolster the government’s efforts of Smart health initiative as it ushers in technology lead economy by 2020.
According to Justin Hamilton Media consultant for Zipline international, the drones will make a maiden show during the 26th World Economic Forum-WEF Africa 2016 on Friday May 13, making it the first in the region.
“The company’s (Zipline) mission is to bring lifesaving medicine to previously unreachable parts of the world,†he told this website in a statement.
Zipline a startup founded in 2014 in the United States is the world’s first international drone delivery service.
In Rwanda, the country’s master development plan has placed a priority on the use of the machines, first for medicine and then more broadly for economic development.
The drones come after the company and the government penned an agreement recently for the former to make all “last mile” blood deliveries to transfusion clinics across the country, which also works as launch pad for Ziplin to Expand to the continent.
“Zipline will be expanding its service to countries across Africa and the world moving beyond blood delivery to include vaccines, treatments for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and many other essential and lifesaving medicine,†he added
The maiden launch of the drones comes alongside the three day forum kicking off on Wednesday may 11 which will be held on the theme ‘Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation’.
Other major events during the summit include official launch of Africa Code Week second edition on May 10 and first collaboration between World Health Organization African Region (WHO AFRO) and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), a partnership to combat the rising incidence of cervical cancer in Africa will be launched on May 11.
Also the cocktail for the, breakfast session on mobilizing domestic resources for development by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Thursday May 12, 2016 as well as   Africa Social Entrepreneurs of the Year Award Ceremony
