Addressing Preventable Maternal Death Through UAVs for Medical Commodity Delivery

Access to basic health care remains elusive for the world’s poor, especially the rural poor in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). One key determinant is the weakness of health care systems to respond to the needs of the community in a timely, agile, and responsive manner. In Malawi, health systems infrastructure limits access in both directions. Those who support and manage health systems lack accurate and timely information about health care needs at the last mile. Health workers and patients lack responsive systems to deliver medicines, supplies, and other commodities needed to support quality care. VillageReach, a nonprofit social innovator with a mission to increase access to quality health care at the last mile, and Vayu Aircraft propose to conduct a proof of concept on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to transform the medical commodity distribution system in Malawi. Starting with high value products for maternal and reproductive health, this project will explore the potential integration of UAVs into in-country supply chains of blood products and uterotonic drugs for emergency cases. These commodities target obstetric hemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal mortality, and has a high potential for immediate impact on quality health care of mothers in Malawi. The proof of concept will investigate the costs, health benefits, and potential safety concerns of UAV utilization to develop a long-term business case for this integration of UAVs.