By Mustapha Jarju
Arda International Corporation in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) on Tuesday, 16th May 2023 organized a Conference on the Gambia’s medical drone delivery pilot Programme.
Speaking at a conference held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Kololi, the Secretary General of the Gambia Red Cross Society, Alasana Senghore, said the whole concept of drone delivery is important since no one is leaving behind with accessible health services, particularly in the case of an emergency.
“As a country, we cannot do much more than commend Arda for this initiative. It is putting the Gambia forward in terms of thinking ahead very often we are left behind because we think it is too complicated and sophisticated so is impossible”, he said.
Mr. Senghore talked about the importance of medical drone delivery saying it will help when there is an urgent need for items from one far area to another.
Shabh Malde, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arda International Corporation added that in the course of the next two weeks, they will begin a pilot Programme in ensuring the full potential of the pilot programme of the medical drone delivery for public health with the longtime vision of trying for the Gambia to be self-sustaining in drone delivery globally.
“The key thing here is for some that run the medical supply chain to have full control of their supply chain and maintain that control and that is important to us, and don’t want few people to come from UK or Europe and say we want to afford delivery system for you or want to be another existing vehicle flight which can be operated by experts in public health service,”
Dr. Fatou Dibba Assistant Director of Health Services also highlighted the importance of the drone, noting that technology is the order of the day and they are excited with what Arda has for them in ensuring that the health products are delivered to health workers wherever they may be.
