New medical logistics drones for Guyana
The South American country will work with 19Labs and IDB Lab to integrate the drone service with its existing telemedicine network
Digital healthcare specialist 19Labs, in partnership with IDB Lab, the innovation and venture arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has unveiled a new drone delivery system for the South American nation of Guyana.
The system, dubbed GALE | Force, is intended to deliver medical supplies to Guyana’s remote hinterlands, as well as transporting medical samples to hospitals.
It will be trialed in a pilot program, launching early this year, that will benefit over 20,000 people in remote areas served by 15 telemedicine centers.
The system is intended to complement the country’s growing telemedicine and digital health network, allowing the provision of medical care in isolated rural areas.
It is hoped that the integration of drone deliveries into the telemedicine network will improve supply chain efficiency, reduce medical stockpiling and waste, and ensure that emergency and routine supplies are readily available.
The initiative builds on 19Labs’ previous experience working in partnership with Guyana’s Ministry of Health – having supported the implementation of telemedicine services in the country.
Scotland’s Project CAELUS medical logistics drone program recently announced the completion of its final flight trials.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.