By Godwill Arthur-Mensah,GNA
Accra, July 30, GNA – Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, has assured Parliament that government is taking steps to mobilise funds to pay the outstanding debts owed Zipline Ghana Limited for the emergency delivery of blood and health products to selected health facilities across the country.
The government owes Zipline Ghana Limited about GH¢175 million in unpaid debts for its medical drone delivery services.
This debt has already forced Zipline to shut down three of its distribution centres.
Responding to questions on the floor of the House on Wednesday, Mr Akandoh said although some payments had recently been made, the Ministry of Health still owed Zipline as of March 2026.
He emphasised that efforts were underway to clear the arrears.
He explained that the Ministry signed a service agreement with Zipline in 2018 for emergency delivery of blood and health products from four distribution centres, later expanded to eight in 2020.
However, Zipline currently operates only three centres – Omenako/Suhum in the Eastern Region, Mpenya/Mampong in the Ashanti Region, and Vobsi/Walewale in the North East Region – after unilaterally decommissioning three out of six centres in October last year.
Mr Akandoh noted that Zipline was underperforming, with only 10 per cent of its services covering hard-to-reach areas and 4 per cent classified as emergency deliveries. “What it means is that more than 80 per cent of the services that Zipline is delivering at this point in time is not targeted at the core reason why the company was brought on board,” he explained.
He added that the Ministry was engaging Zipline to ensure its services focused on filling gaps in emergency medicine supply, particularly in hard-to-reach and geographically cut-off areas during natural disasters.
The agreement between the Ministry of Health and Zipline is expected to expire in September 2027.
GNA
Reporter: Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Reporter’s email: [email protected]