By Jibril Abdul Mumuni, GNA
Accra, March 19, GNA – Zipline Ghana conducted more than 4,000 drone deliveries of blood and blood products on behalf of the National Blood Service (NBS) in 2025, Dr Shirley Phyllis Ohenewa Owusu‑Ofori, the Chief Executive Officer of the Service, said.
Presenting the 2025 Annual Performance Review of the NBS in Accra, she described Zipline as one of the Service’s most reliable operational partners, noting that the company successfully executed 4,314 lifesaving deliveries and transported over 5,000 units of blood to 96 health facilities nationwide.
Dr Owusu‑Ofori said the collaboration had become indispensable, especially for hard‑to‑reach communities, where geography or distance often delayed conventional transport.
The partnership had also contributed significantly to reducing stock‑out incidents in peripheral facilities and improving the turnaround time for emergency transfusions.
She explained that the ability to dispatch blood products within minutes had transformed emergency response for conditions such as postpartum haemorrhage, severe anaemia, trauma and paediatric emergencies.
Dr OwusuOfori said many facilities now relied on the drone service as a dependable extension of their emergency supply system.
She noted that Zipline’s performance in 2025 was consistent with NBS’s broader effort to ensure equitable access to safe blood across all regions.
The CEO explained that blood delivery logistics remained one of the major bottlenecks in national service delivery, particularly in districts lacking reliable transport or facing poor road networks.
She emphasised that the drone system had filled a critical gap where delays could have resulted in preventable deaths.
Dr Owusu‑Ofori also highlighted the role Zipline played during the Africa‑wide “Red Saturday” blood donation initiative in November, where Ghana exceeded its national mobilisation target.
She said Zipline, together with its partner, provided logistical and last‑minute support that enabled the NBS to participate fully in the 12‑country campaign aimed at raising awareness and boosting donations across the continent.
The CEO expressed appreciation to Zipline for its continued partnership, describing the company as a key stakeholder in the NBS’ mission to guarantee national blood security.
She underscored the Service’s ability to meet emergency requests dependent not only on collection efforts but also on efficient distribution mechanisms capable of getting blood to patients within the window where it could save a life.
Dr Owusu‑Ofori urged other private sector organisations to emulate the example set by Zipline and support Ghana’s blood service infrastructure, noting that the challenges facing the sector required multi‑sectoral collaboration.
She said efforts to digitalise blood management, strengthen regional centres and expand voluntary donation campaigns would be far more effective with sustained private and development‑partner involvement.
She reiterated the NBS’ commitment to ensuring the safety of patients, and that no patient should be denied life‑saving blood due to location, distance or delayed transportation.
“Partnerships such as the one with Zipline has already demonstrated what could be achieved when modern technology is applied to public health needs,” she said.
GNA