Parliament approves Medical drones agreement

Parliament has, by a majority decision, approved the $12.5 Fly Zipline contract agreement to allow the use of drones to distribute essential drugs and
blood to health facilities across the country.

In a head count today in parliament demanded by the minority, 102 legislators voted for the controversial policy, with 58 dissented.

There has been a lot of controversy over the propriety of the contract currently, but today, December 11, 2018, Parliament has approved the contract by a 102 majority vote against 58 minority members who voted against the approval of the contract.

The approval of this contract gives Government the go-ahead to pay Fly Zipline Inc $12,527,000 to distribute medical suppliers across the country with their drone equipment over a period of four years. 

On November 6, 2018, the Public Procurement Authority gave clearance for the Government of Ghana to sole-source the contract to Zipline, a US-based company.

The move was greeted with a strong protest from the minority and some Civil Society Organizations who believe Government should have opened the tendering process up for other companies to also bid for the contract instead of the sole-sourcing approach.

The Minority early refused to discuss the matter when the Health Committee of Parliament presented its report on the issue, stating that the agreement does not ensure value for money.

After the house has voted to approve the contract, Minority Spokesperson on Finance Cassiel Ato Forson said the deal is a complete rip-off.

He said the Minority will meet as a caucus and consider options available to them.

According to him, the Minority will not relent on the matter and will pursue it further asking the Vice President to come out and talk about details of the deal since he started the conversation around it.

However, Government has stated that the move to get blood and the distribution of other medical suppliers by drones forms part of efforts to enhance the healthcare system.