Zipline saves lives in 25 minutes — but politicians want 5 hours of arguments.
Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, the former Minister of Health, has issued a warning to political figures regarding what he considers to be hazardous efforts to make fun of and cast doubt on the Zipline drone delivery system. He maintains that these narratives endanger the lives of people in remote areas who rely on emergency medical deliveries. Dr. Okoe Boye was interviewed on Citi Eyewitness News on Friday, November 28, and spoke in defense of the service’s significance. The doctor emphasized that drone delivery continues to be one of the quickest lifelines for medical institutions that are in need of urgent medical supplies. He went on to say, “If a center does not have a blood-related product and they need it urgently, Zipline will fly with the stock that they have on hand and deliver the vaccine to the hospital compound when you reach out to them via WhatsApp.” “You will be able to avoid spending unnecessary amounts of time on phone calls if you do this. “In the event that you were required to drive for a duration of five hours, the same journey could be completed in twenty-five minutes by means of Zipline.” Dr. Okoe Boye was critical of what he saw as the overabundance of political content that was included in the presentation. He issued a caution that this kind of commentary puts vital medical procedures in danger. He asserts that assertions that drones are being used to transport products that are improper are only attempts to make fun of and call into question a technology that has shown its worth in terms of saving lives. “This conversation is an effort to mock the entire endeavor and get rid of it.” He said, “At times, an excessive amount of political activity can put people’s lives in danger.” He made it a point to stress that the primary focus of leadership need to be on the improvement of life-saving mechanisms as opposed to criticizing them for the sake of political expediency. He continued by saying, “The fundamental purpose of a politician or a leader is not to relax and make yourself comfortable, but rather to work with such diligence that those who are far away from you can receive assistance when they require it the most.” The moment is particularly sensitive for the service, since it is being subjected to a growing amount of scrutiny in Parliament. The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has made a request for the complete and total termination of the government’s contract with the drone firm, characterizing the agreement as a squandering of the resources of the state. Following the demand made by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin that the Health Minister appear before Parliament in the following week to inform the House about the measures that are being implemented in order to restore Zipline operations at three facilities that had been closed down as a consequence of the government’s indebtedness of GH₵175 million, the debate grew more heated.
