Drone Delivery
Drones Amongst Health Care Solutions to Help 30 Million in The Congo
Drones Amongst Health Care Solutions to Help 30 Million in The Congo
Health, social and environmental policy and research company Abt Associates is to work with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring quality integrated primary health care to 30 million people.
The project, which will be conducted over the next 7 year with the DRC’s Ministry of Health, is to be funded under the terms of a $314 million contract with the United States Agency for International Development.
The DRC, which is a hotbed of ongoing conflicts presenting barriers to its citizens for health care, has some of the world’s highest mortality rates for infants and their mothers.
Issues such as child malnutrition, low literacy levels and inequitable gender norms are also rife.
To improve health outcomes for the countries 30 million people, Abt Associates will introduce new technologies including drones to deliver medicine, as well as provide health care staff with training, improved facilities and medical supplies.
A ‘performance dashboard’ that will enable adaptive, real-time, data-driven decision making will also feature as part of the cutting edge innovations to be introduced.
“With this investment, USAID will enable the DRC to address the challenges identified in its national health plan, including the need for higher-quality service delivery and better infrastructure, equipment, human resources, commodities supply, health financing and governance,” said Jay L. Knott, Chief Business Officer.
“We have very specific objectives, including immunizing 88 percent of children; equipping 89 percent of health centers to offer high-quality basic care; and saving the lives of approximately 140,000 pregnant women, newborns and children,” said Knott. “Our goals are ambitious, and we have the right team to achieve them.”
Abt’s primary implementing partners are The International Rescue Committee and Pathfinder. Additional partners include the Kinshasa School of Public Health, Blue Square, i+solutions, Matchboxology, Mobile Accord, TRG and Viamo.
