Vaccination logistics in hard-to-reach places

There are some posts, I commented on Unicef's logistics to save the world. However, I left a unique part that shows how innovation is capable of expanding the horizons of logistics and helping to prevent diseases in places that are difficult to access. At the end of 2018, for the first time, drones were used in logistics to expand vaccination in an archipelago in the South Pacific made up of 80 mountainous islands, Vanuatu.

Figure 1 – For the first time, drones are being tested to deliver vaccines in Vanuatu

Source – Jason Chute – Unicef

In the Oceania archipelago, the difficulty in reaching the community of Cook's Bay is such that there is no medical center or electricity in the region. Until the end of 2018, vaccination in Cook's Bay was only possible once a month after long walks carrying boxes of ice through rivers, mountains and rocky terrain and in heavy rain. As a result, to date, around 20% of children in the micro country end up not being vaccinated.

In addition to the physical barriers, there was also a concern for the local community and its receptivity to the new technology. In order to avoid negative reactions to the drones and the noise caused by them, communities were invited to participate in the tests. Thus, the social barrier was also overcome and around 40 children were vaccinated.

Figure 2 – Child receives vaccine that arrived at the location by drone

Source – Jason Chute – Unicef

The Vanuatu initiative is part of a pilot project by the government of the micro country in Oceania with the support of Unicef ​​and the participation of two drone operating companies. The flight covered a distance of 50 km over several islands and mountains, with the drone reaching 2 km from the target region. The drones used were capable of flying in the rain and carrying more than 2 kg of vaccines, ice and a monitor that controls the temperature of the vaccines.

Video 1 – Drone delivers vaccines in a remote region in Oceania

Source – Unicef

With the success of the pilot project, the expectation is for the deployment of the drone program not only to support vaccination, but also to expand the distribution of other health-related items. Furthermore, Vanuatu already inspires Unicef ​​to take drones to expand vaccination in other regions of difficult access in the world, such as Ghana, for example, which should have a similar program in 2019.

References:
– Fast Company – On these remote Pacific islands children now get life saving vaccines from drones
– Unicef ​​– Drones take Vanuatu sky test last mile vaccine delivery children
– Unicef ​​– Child given worlds first drone delivered vaccine