Zipline Receives Secretary of State Award

Zipline Receives Secretary of State Award for Company Excellence in Well being Safety, a excessive honor – and validation for medical drone supply world wide.

by DRONELIFE Workers Author Ian M. Crosby

In the present day, Zipline, the world chief in immediate logistics, was awarded the U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for Company Excellence (ACE) in Well being Safety. Offered by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, the distinguished accolade acknowledges Zipline’s work to enhance well being safety, entry, and fairness in Ghana.

Secretary of State Blinken, who spoke with Zipline in Nigeria this previous November, acknowledged at as we speak’s ceremony, “Zipline, an organization that I first grew to become conscious of about 5 or 6 years in the past, is doing exceptional work, has partnered with the Ghanaian authorities to ship greater than 250,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, and it’s in a position to do that attending to distant areas that in any other case would have nice issue getting the vaccine or getting different medicines. These efforts are actually saving lives.”

Since 2019, Zipline has been working alongside the Authorities of Ghana, the Ministry of Well being and its companies, and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, to assist rework Ghana’s well being system and provide more practical and equitable care to folks throughout the nation. Zipline serves over 1,900 well being amenities in Ghana, the place it has accomplished greater than 130,000 industrial deliveries, flown over 10 million autonomous miles, and delivered thousands and thousands of vaccines. The corporate is at present working to increase its attain throughout the nation, with the development of 4 new distribution facilities to serve everything of Ghana, and the upcoming supply of medical merchandise and provides on to affected person houses.

Zipline permits healthcare amenities to securely obtain medical merchandise reminiscent of vaccines, blood, and medicines in roughly half-hour, bettering entry whereas additionally decreasing supply emissions by as much as 98% in comparison with conventional supply strategies. Partnering with organizations reminiscent of GAVI, Pfizer, and UPS, Zipline is supplying a cheap answer to assist in Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution whereas on the similar time decreasing vaccine waste and the necessity for pricey investments in chilly chain infrastructure. As of as we speak, Zipline has helped to ship lots of of hundreds of doses of COVID-19 vaccines thus far.

“Our work in Ghana showcases the transformational energy of immediate logistics to strengthen well being programs,” stated Daniel Marfo, Senior Vice President of Zipline for Africa. “Along with our companions within the authorities, we’re pioneering a brand new, more practical and equitable healthcare mannequin—one wherein each affected person throughout the nation can entry the assessments, therapy, and provides they want, wherever they’re. The Secretary of State’s recognition validates our strategy in setting a world customary for constructing a secure and sustainable system that improves well being entry and fairness world wide.”

Stephanie S. Sullivan, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, described Zipline as “an actual sport changer for Ghanaians,” when presenting as we speak’s award. “Zipline’s logistics community made it a vital ingredient of Ghana’s COVID-19 response,” Sullivan stated. “Within the final two years, the corporate delivered over 1 / 4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, private protecting tools, and COVID-19 check kits to distant places all through the nation.”

One of many U.S. Division of State’s highest honors, the Secretary of State’s Award for Company Excellence acknowledges U.S. firms exemplifying American values and worldwide greatest practices along with demonstrating management of their abroad operations. The Well being Safety class acknowledges Zipline’s work in bettering entry to vital well being safety merchandise by its immediate logistics infrastructure.The award was accepted by Daniel Marfo, Zipline Senior Vice President for Africa, on behalf of the corporate.

Learn extra about Zipline within the U.S. for Walmart, for medical supply in Utah, in Ghana, and Zipline funding.

Ian attended Dominican College of California, the place he obtained a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong ardour for writing and storytelling and a eager curiosity in expertise, he’s now contributing to DroneLife as a employees author.