Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has raised fresh concerns about the value Ghana is receiving from its drone delivery partnership with Zipline, revealing that the service is now largely being used to transport non-emergency items rather than lifesaving supplies.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on December 1, the minister shared data showing a major drift from the project’s original mission.
The Zipline programme was introduced to deliver essential medical supplies such as blood and vaccines to remote and underserved communities.
But according to the minister, only a small portion of the service is fulfilling that purpose today.
He noted that deliveries to hard-to-reach areas account for just 12 per cent of operations, while genuine emergency deliveries make up only 4 per cent.
The remaining majority involves items that could be easily moved by regular road transport.
Mr Akandoh said the trend raises questions about cost efficiency, especially at a time when the government reportedly owes Zipline a debt of GH¢174 million.
He shared examples of the kinds of supplies being flown by the drones, adding that taxpayers deserve reassurance that the high operational costs are justified.
“It will interest you to know some of the items they fly. Items like condoms, blood donor cards, mosquito nets, food and nutrition items, adhesive tapes, syringes and needles, education materials like textbooks and uniforms,” he said.
The revelation has added fuel to ongoing criticism of the partnership, with some political voices arguing that the contract no longer serves its intended purpose.
Three of Zipline’s operational centres have already shut down due to financial strain.
The minister said the government is in talks with the company to ensure the service delivers real value and operates within a reasonable cost framework.