The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Civil Aviation Authority approved the country’s first drone port site in Mbandaka to enable a series of test flights to demonstrate how drones can support the vaccine supply chain for hard-to-reach communities. A partnership between DRC Ministry of Health, Swoop Aero, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and Village Reach carried out test flights between Mbandaka and the Widjifake health centre in Équateur Province in the north west of the country in July. Swoop Aero drones delivered vaccines and returned with samples and medicine requests during a week of demonstration flights. Gavi funded the project which aims to increase access to vaccines in health centres across the region.
(Image: Swoop Aero)
For more information visit:
