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Vanuatu uses drones to deliver vaccines to remote island | Vanuatu uses drones to deliver vaccines to remote island |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A baby on a small Pacific island has become the first person given a vaccine delivered by a commercial drone. | A baby on a small Pacific island has become the first person given a vaccine delivered by a commercial drone. |
Unicef arranged for the drone to be flown some 40km (25 miles) across rugged mountains in Vanuatu that otherwise take hours to cross. | Unicef arranged for the drone to be flown some 40km (25 miles) across rugged mountains in Vanuatu that otherwise take hours to cross. |
About 20% of children in Vanuatu don't receive important vaccinations because the supply is too difficult. | About 20% of children in Vanuatu don't receive important vaccinations because the supply is too difficult. |
The UN children's organisation hopes that drone delivery will in future be of vital importance in remote areas. | The UN children's organisation hopes that drone delivery will in future be of vital importance in remote areas. |
"Today's small flight by drone is a big leap for global health," Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore said. | "Today's small flight by drone is a big leap for global health," Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore said. |
"With the world still struggling to immunize the hardest to reach children, drone technologies can be a game changer for bridging that last mile to reach every child." | "With the world still struggling to immunize the hardest to reach children, drone technologies can be a game changer for bridging that last mile to reach every child." |
While drones have been used before to deliver medicine, Unicef says this was the first time globally that a country had contracted a commercial drone company to get vaccines to remote areas. | While drones have been used before to deliver medicine, Unicef says this was the first time globally that a country had contracted a commercial drone company to get vaccines to remote areas. |
Two companies competed for the project on Vanuatu, and it was Australia's Swoop Aero that won the bid after successful trials earlier this month. | |
Its drone carried the vaccines in a styrofoam box with ice packs and a temperature logger to a remote village on the island of Erromango, from Dillon's Bay on the west of the island to Cook's Bay on the east. | Its drone carried the vaccines in a styrofoam box with ice packs and a temperature logger to a remote village on the island of Erromango, from Dillon's Bay on the west of the island to Cook's Bay on the east. |
The medicine was then used by local nurse Miriam Nampil to vaccinate 13 children and five pregnant women. | The medicine was then used by local nurse Miriam Nampil to vaccinate 13 children and five pregnant women. |
Without the drone, Cook's Bay is only accessible on foot or by boat - both those options take hours compared to the 25 minutes it took for the drone to reach the village. | Without the drone, Cook's Bay is only accessible on foot or by boat - both those options take hours compared to the 25 minutes it took for the drone to reach the village. |
Medical supplies also have to be kept at a cold temperature. | Medical supplies also have to be kept at a cold temperature. |
"It's extremely hard to carry ice boxes to keep the vaccines cool while walking across rivers, mountains, through the rain, across rocky ledges," Ms Nampil said. | "It's extremely hard to carry ice boxes to keep the vaccines cool while walking across rivers, mountains, through the rain, across rocky ledges," Ms Nampil said. |
"As the journey is often long and difficult, I can only go there once a month to vaccinate children. But now, with these drones, we can hope to reach many more children in the remotest areas of the island." | "As the journey is often long and difficult, I can only go there once a month to vaccinate children. But now, with these drones, we can hope to reach many more children in the remotest areas of the island." |