BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The Minority in Parliament has raised alarm over the suspension of three operational centres of medical drone delivery company Zipline, citing the government’s outstanding debt of GH¢175 million as the root cause.
The closures, which affect Centres 4, 5, and 6, threaten the timely delivery of vaccines, blood products, and other life-saving medical supplies, particularly to remote communities that depend heavily on the drone service.
The suspension was formally communicated to health facilities in the Western North Region through a letter dated November 24, 2025, from Dr. Paulina Clara Appiah, Regional Director of Health Services.
The letter, addressed to District Directors of Health Services, Medical Superintendents, and administrators of CHAG facilities, stated:
“This is to notify your facility that a letter from Fly Zipline Ghana Limited, Sefwi Wiawso Distribution Centre, informing the region of the intended suspension of operations, effective Tuesday, 25November 2025.”
“Due to the above, all District Health Directorates with vaccines at Zipline should immediately make arrangements to pick all their vaccines. Ensure cold chain storage is properly maintained throughout the process and ensure vaccine accountability.”
“District hospitals should ensure the constant availability of blood and blood products at their facility.”
“The Regional Health Directorate has made allocations to supply emergency quantities of anti-rabies and anti-snake treatments to the district hospitals today, 24th November 2025.”
The letter prompted immediate concern from the Minority caucus in Parliament during debates on the 2026 Budget on Tuesday, November 25.
Dr. Ayew Afriyie, Ranking Member on the Health Committee, criticised the government for failing to engage Zipline and for neglecting its financial obligations despite the company’s pivotal role in the healthcare delivery chain.
“Zipline is decommissioning three of its centres, Centres 4, 5, and 6. There has been no engagement and an inability on the part of the government to provide funds.”
“The allocation for Zipline was only GH¢20 million, even though the government currently owes the company GH¢175 million,” Dr. Afriyie said.
He warned of the consequences for public health, noting:
“The closure of these centres poses a grave danger to public health, particularly in hard-to-reach areas that rely on timely deliveries of vaccines, blood products, and other life-saving medical supplies.”
Zipline, a U.S.-based autonomous logistics company, has been operating in Ghana since 2019 under the Ghana Drone Delivery Service under Akufo-Addo led government.
Its first delivery—a shipment of yellow fever vaccines—was made on April 24, 2019. The company initially operated four distribution centres and has since expanded to six hubs nationwide, serving some of the country’s most remote communities.
Sources also indicate that several Zipline staff had already been dismissed earlier this year, raising further concerns about the continuity of operations.
Health experts warn that the suspension could significantly undermine maternal and child health efforts and weaken the efficiency of healthcare delivery in underserved regions.’
The Minority caucus is urging the government to urgently settle its debt with Zipline and engage the company to prevent further disruption to critical medical supply chains, emphasizing that delays could have life-threatening consequences for thousands of Ghanaians.
