A Member of the Parliamentary Health Committee and the Member of Parliament for Garu, Dr Thomas Anaba, has urged the government not to renew its contract with the drone medical delivery company Zipline.
He argued that the millions of cedis spent on the service would yield greater benefits if invested in strengthening Ghana’s laboratory systems, medical storage facilities, and overall health supply chain infrastructure.
Dr Anaba believes Zipline’s services have become largely redundant, noting that the health sector would be better served by improving internal logistics rather than outsourcing medical deliveries.
He explained that the original five-year contract with Zipline has already expired, adding that there is no need for renewal.
Speaking to Citi News on Monday, December 1, 2025, he stressed that the expiration of the contract presents an opportunity for the government to realign its priorities and channel resources into critical health infrastructure.
“Vaccines are supposed to be distributed to all hospitals, and the people send them directly to go and vaccinate. So, we see its utilisation in Ghana as not being cost-effective, while only pumping millions of dollars into a service that we think—if we upgrade our laboratories and update our store systems—would make how we distribute health commodities even more effective than using Zipline.
“So to me, we’ve called for value for money for its services. They never provided it for the years that it was in existence. The contract was signed for five years, and it has been five years, so the contract is no longer in effect. So it’s not even that we are cancelling it—the contract has expired,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, while speaking at the Government Accountability Series, disclosed that discussions with Zipline are still ongoing.
He emphasised that no final decision has been made on whether the partnership will continue, and that the outcome of these engagements will determine the future of the contract.
Reports indicate that Zipline has already closed three of its operational centres due to an outstanding GH¢174 million debt owed by the government.
The health minister also revealed that Zipline has been transporting several non-emergency items, raising questions about the cost-effectiveness of the service.
He noted that the drones have been used to deliver materials such as blood donor cards, food and nutrition supplies, adhesive tapes, syringes, needles, and even educational resources, including textbooks and school uniforms.
He said the government is currently evaluating the full scope of services provided, as well as associated costs, to ensure value for money.
