Sahelian Journal of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontostomatology Journal officiel de l'Association Nigérienne des Internes et Anciens Internes des Hôpitaux (ANIAH), rattaché à la Faculté des Sciences de la Santé de l'Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey.
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Communication affichée
Rapid Review of the Current and Potential Future Use of Drones to Improve Access to Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa
Communication affichée Vol. 1 · N°1 · 2026 pp. 127
Ismaguel* Abdou Moussa , Nhyira Yaw Adjei-Banuah, Keza Naa Amertey Akosua Amarteyfio, Eugene Paa Kofi Konddzie, Irene Agyepong, Aissa Diarra, Tolib Mirzoev, Anglea Owusu-Ansah, Martin Mckee
— Niger
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Résumé

Background: Drones are changing healthcare delivery, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where traditional logistics face geographical, infrastructural, and resource limitations. Thisreview examines applications across emergency, routine, and non-communicable diseases NCD-related healthcare delivery, alongside operational challenges. Methods: A rapid scoping review methodology was employed, sourcing literature from GoogleScholar, Cairn info, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and grey literature using targeted keywords like“drones,” “medicine delivery,” and “Sub- Saharan Africa” to build a search query. Twenty-fivepapers met the inclusion criteria, providing qualitative and quantitative data on droneoperations. Results: Drone delivery systems have improved healthcare logistics across SSA by enhancingemergency responses, addressing rural access issues, and optimising routine medical deliveries. In Ghana, the government’s partnership with Zipline has provided emergency and routinemedical supplies to over 2,200 facilities, reducing stockouts and improving maternal and childhealth outcomes. For instance, drones facilitated over 14,900 additional immunisations inGhana in 2021. However, challenges such as payload limitations, dependency on unreliablepower supplies, and workforce shortages hinder scalability. These systems also require robustinfrastructural and logistical support to sustain operations. Conclusion: Drones have great potential for healthcare delivery in SSA, offering rapid, efficientand cost-effective solutions. While their contributions to improving maternal health andemergency responses are notable, addressing systemic issues like power infrastructure, supplychain inefficiencies, and workforce limitations is crucial. Integrating drones into broaderhealthcare strategies could significantly enhance their impact, particularly for managing NCDsin underserved regions.

Mots-clés : Drones, Unmanned Aerial Devices, Health Services Accessibility, Africa South of the Sahara.

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Abdou Moussa I. , Nhyira Yaw Adjei-Banuah, Keza Naa Amertey Akosua Amarteyfio, Eugene Paa Kofi Konddzie, Irene Agyepong, Aissa Diarra, Tolib Mirzoev, Anglea Owusu-Ansah, Martin Mckee et al. Rapid Review of the Current and Potential Future Use of Drones to Improve Access to Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sahelian J Med Pharm Odontostomatol. 2026;1(1) :127.
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Type : Communication affichée
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Numéro : Vol. 1 · N°1
Date : 22/03/2026
Pages : 127
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