Michael Gwarisa
Drone Solutions, a local logistics company, has introduced drone technology to deliver medicines, blood and blood products, among other essential health commodities, across Zimbabwe.
The move is set to address gaps in the healthcare supply chain while tackling persistent challenges such as poor road networks and transport-related delays. It is also expected to significantly reduce delivery times for critical medical supplies, with some deliveries projected to take under 30 minutes.
Drone Solutions Zimbabwe Marketing Executive, Bvumavaranda Bukamoyo, said the initiative is designed to strengthen the healthcare delivery system, particularly in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“We are coming in with drones, especially in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, where we are introducing this technology to deliver medicines and other essential products within the healthcare service delivery system,” said Bukamoyo.
He added that the innovation will enhance access to medical supplies in hard-to-reach communities, particularly in rural areas where infrastructure challenges often delay urgent deliveries.
“I will give an example, someone has been bitten by a snake and needs urgent treatment. We can use these drones to quickly deliver antivenom,” he said.
The drone technology has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe in line with national aviation regulations.
The drones will prioritise high-value and time-sensitive cargo, including vaccines, blood products, pathology samples, anti-rabies treatments and maternal health medicines.
The rollout is expected to have its greatest impact in rural communities, where clinics are often cut off during the rainy season due to flooding and damaged roads.
Zimbabwe joins other African countries such as Rwanda, Tanzania and Ghana, where drone technology is already being used to improve access to critical healthcare supplies.
