Côte d'Ivoire expands medical drone network via Zipline partnership

The Ivorian government has approved an eight-year public-private partnership with Zipline-SARL to establish a national drone delivery network for medical supplies. This expansion builds upon a pilot program in Daloa that has already completed over 20,000 deliveries to approximately 300 health facilities.

The project involves constructing ten distribution hubs across the country, including sites in Daloa, Biankouma, San Pedro, Kouto, and several other regions. Once fully operational, the network is expected to serve more than 2,200 health facilities and approximately 12 million people, covering roughly one-third of the population. The autonomous, GPS-guided drones are designed to deliver blood products, vaccines, and essential medicines via parachute to bypass difficult road networks.

Funding for the infrastructure is supported by a U.S. Department of State grant. Under the agreement, the U.S. covers the construction of distribution centers, while the Ivorian state manages the service contract, including warehousing, cold chain logistics, and delivery fees. Zipline and Ivorian officials estimate the return to the state will be approximately 300%.