Rwanda expands drone use to deliver medicine

California-based robotics firm Zipline is pioneering the use of drones to deliver medicine in Rwanda. PHOTO | FILE

Rwanda was among the few countries in Africa to use drones to deliver life-saving blood plasma to far-flung rural areas.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the value and use of this technology and the country is now expanding the service to deliver medicine for non-communicable diseases to hospitals in remote areas, and offer support to patients who can’t travel long distances to get to pharmacies or hospitals.