Malawi tests drones to deliver blood tests and other samples

In the fight against HIV/AIDS Malawi faces the challenge of inaccessibility. People in remote areas can’t access testing centers.

“Instead of using motorbikes to transport blood samples, which often require a large batch to make the delivery costs worthwhile, Unicef and Matternet are testing whether deliveries could be more efficient by air. The drone used in the test is less than a metre long and is programmed to travel along a designated route, passing predetermined way points, which are plotted using an app. No pilot is necessary, instead it requires a health worker with a password and a GPS signal on their mobile phone. At the swipe of a button the vehicle is airborne. It has already been certified as safe by Malawi’s defence ministry, which has approved an air corridor for the drone’s use”

Read on for more: http://ghanahealthnest.com/health-care-workers-test-use-drones-save-lives-malawi