Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong is not pleased with government’s decision to use dronetechnology to deliver blood and other health supplies nationwide.
To him, the deal is a misplaced priority because the country has inadequate ambulances and lacks enough state-of-the-art health centres.
“First things first; before you take the drone to deliver the drugs, you need to check the quality of the drugs and the facilities or the hospitals. I think it’s not a priority. Until we have state of the art hospitals, clinics and polyclinics that can deliver and prevent us from travelling outside for healthcare, then the drones are not a good idea,” he said on Adom TV Tuesday.
Government is seeking approval from Parliament to engage Fly Zipline Ghana Limited, a private firm, to design, install and operate Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), subject to the approval of the Public Procurement Authority.
The $12 million contract is to enable government fly blood and other health essentials to deprived areas.
Fly Zipline launched similar service in Rwanda in 2006 to improve public health delivery in that country.
Ghana’s Parliament deferred voting on the services agreement twice this week to allow for some issues to be ironed out.
The Minority had raised concerns about the contract, saying it is a rip-off.
Mr Agyapong who agrees with the concerns of the minority said the areas in Ghana without health facilities needed health centres and not drones.
Source: JFM/Ghana
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Backward mentality. The drones are just to improve the delivery of essential medical supplies, in the context of the existing health infrastructure and personnel. Work to improve the capacity of the health sector will continue. So those who are opposing the drone technology are just making noise. In any case, the funding for this is coming from the private sector, not government coffers, so the unfounded shouts of corruption in relation to public funds are also moot
We do not need drones. We need hospitals and clinics fully built with standard health facilities. We need refrigerated ambulances to convey medical supplies in remote areas of Ghana. Stop the drones!, stop corruption in Ghana!
I am surprised at those defending the NPP Government and attacking Kennedy Agyapong. He has said the truth. This is just one of the numerous ways NPP is using to milk the country. They are desperately stealing money for election 2020.
Ken Agyepong is one of those people who must always make noise to be relevant . The guy talks through his hat most of the time. And why are people fixating only on the drones being used to transport blood to remote areas? That may be one of the lesser uses these machines would be used for. Consider someone in a village in the Afram Plains bitten by a snake. This system can deliver the needed medications quickly to save a life.Truly building a nation is more difficult if you have characters like this MP always on radio spewing gibberish and displaying their complete ignorance. If Rwanda can use this technology effectively why can't we?
Can we face the fact for once and tell the truth. My friends, we do not have enough doctors and nurses to even administer and store these blood and medication to carried by the drones. Those remote places have no storage facilities. The fact that Rwanda used that in 2006 does not mean we should also go for this. Lets set our priority right. This is just a contract for politicians. It is not needed at this time. Lets build hospital, train more doctors and then we can use this technology. First things first. Lets stop politicizing and do the right thing.
The fact that Ken Agyapong talks for everyone to listen or hear his voice does not mean he makes sense everytime. He is ***barred word*** about the technology so he should go back to parliament for him to be properly educated on the issue. I keep wondering whether he takes part in discussions in parliament over such important issues. He is always debating issues at radio stations. Something must be wrong with this man called Kennedy Agyapong.
What is the value of human life? An MP who have access to first class medical care in USA seems to be questioning the validity of providing basic medical assistance to those living in the remotest part of your country as if their lives don't count. Before you shoot down the idea you should ask yourselves the question "WHAT WAS THE HEALTH SYSTEM IN RWANDA LIKE IN 2006 WHEN A SIMILAR DRONE SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED THERE AND WHAT HAVE BEEN THE RESULTS UP TO DATE? If an MP does not have this basic information before commenting then I am minded to say that he is just making noise just to have his voice heard. A well meaning MP would come out with intelligent and helpful analysis to help his people.
THOSE OF YOU ATTACKING KENNEDY NEED TO RETHINK...MOST OF THE HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE DEPRIVED AREAS WHERE THESE DRONES ARE TO OPERATE CANNOT CARRY OUT BLOOD TRANSFUSION.THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FACILITIES AND THE LICENSE TO CATER FOR AILMENT THAT DEMANDS BLOOD INFUSION, THIS AMOUNT CAN BE USED TO BUY SIMPLE DRUGS LIKE ANTI SNAKE INJECTION, FIX AND FUEL AMBULANCES TO TRANSFER PATIENTS TO A NEARBY PROPER HEALTH FACILITIES. I AM NOT AGAINST TECHNOLOGY, BUT CURRENTLY THIS DEAL IS NOT A PRIORITY, IT WONT CHANGE ANYTHING, LETS THINK AND STOP POLITICIZING EVERYTHING..
Fred,open your eyes well.Something good is really happening in Ghana. As for Ken Agyapong l have no trust in whatever he says.For he has always fought for policies that favour his business interest.He has displayed to the world that he is in politics to make money .Not in the interest of the common man.
You are just a confused NPP supporter and following your party blindly