Kremer Pedro, Haruna Florence, Briegleb Christina, Amoah Maame Esi, Oteng Kenneth Fosu, Boadi Stephanie, Dwomoh Samuel, Bentil Adwoa, Tinkorang Emmanuel
Zipline International Inc, San Francisco, USA.
Zipline International Inc, P.O Box 9109 CT, Accra, Ghana.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Mar 17;25(1):390. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12479-1.
Maternal mortality, a critical global public health issue, is notably higher in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). In Ghana, access to healthcare, especially maternal and emergency services, is hindered by infrastructural deficiencies such as poor road networks and unreliable electricity, making the delivery of medical supplies and services difficult. The study used a mixed-method approach to assess the impact of aerial logistics on various maternal health outcomes in the Ashanti Region, focusing on the intervention by Zipline Mpanya distribution center. The study was conducted in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, where clinical outcome data were sourced from the health directorate. Pre-exposure years were 2017-2020, and post-exposure years were 2021-2022. Statistical analysis involved univariate explorations, T-tests, ANOVAs, and Zero-Inflated Poisson regressions, adjusting for factors like poverty. The qualitative study was to describe and analyze changes in providers' and patients' satisfaction, perceived quality across maternal health and health emergencies, and experiences using or being treated with the aerial logistics. The Zero-Inflated Poisson regression analysis indicated significant pre-post increases in antenatal visits and deliveries by 20% and 26% respectively, and a notable 3.41-fold increase in referrals, while emergency visits decreased by 4%. Maternal deaths decreased by 56%, with no substantial changes observed in rates of hysterectomies and neonatal deaths. Nonetheless, marginal means estimations in absolute terms showed overall declines in performance, consistent with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and healthcare providers perceived improvement in access to maternal and emergency medications. In conclusion, this study underscores the groundbreaking role of medical drones in enhancing public health strategies, especially in LMICs, by mitigating the impact of health emergencies on maternal health.
孕产妇死亡率是一个关键的全球公共卫生问题，在低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）尤为突出。在加纳，医疗保健的获取，尤其是孕产妇和急救服务，受到基础设施不足的阻碍，如道路网络不佳和电力供应不可靠，这使得医疗用品和服务的运送变得困难。该研究采用混合方法评估空中物流对阿散蒂地区各种孕产妇健康结果的影响，重点关注Zipline Mpanya配送中心的干预措施。该研究在加纳的阿散蒂地区进行，临床结果数据来自卫生部门。暴露前的年份为2017 - 2020年，暴露后的年份为2021 - 2022年。统计分析包括单变量探索、T检验、方差分析和零膨胀泊松回归，并对贫困等因素进行了调整。定性研究旨在描述和分析提供者和患者满意度的变化、孕产妇健康和健康紧急情况方面的感知质量，以及使用空中物流或接受其治疗的经历。零膨胀泊松回归分析表明，产前检查和分娩在暴露前后分别显著增加了20%和26%，转诊显著增加了3.41倍，而急诊就诊减少了4%。孕产妇死亡减少了56%，子宫切除术和新生儿死亡率没有显著变化。然而，从绝对边际均值估计来看，整体表现有所下降，这与新冠疫情的影响一致。患者和医疗保健提供者认为获取孕产妇和急救药物的情况有所改善。总之，本研究强调了医疗无人机在加强公共卫生战略方面的开创性作用，特别是在低收入和中等收入国家，通过减轻健康紧急情况对孕产妇健康的影响。
