Med Shuttle

Globally, one billion people lack direct access to roads, resulting in delayed access to essential medical supplies and products. According to the World Health Organization, inadequate infrastructure and logistics systems account for up to 80% of the total health system costs in low- and middle-income countries. Despite many interventions aimed at improving healthcare systems, logistics, and supply chains, many people in rural and remote areas still do not have access to primary healthcare, health products, and technologies, especially in times of epidemics. In Kenya, the lack of road infrastructure and poor access to medical commodities in remote and rural areas continues to pose a significant challenge to the delivery of timely and effective healthcare services.

In Kenya, delays in healthcare product transport during emergencies have led to severe complications and fatalities. Frequent stock-outs of medical supplies and extended turnaround times to deliver critical drugs have led to the loss of lives in remote and marginalized regions. According to a report by the Ministry of Health in Kenya, more than 50% of health facilities in the country are inaccessible during the rainy season, causing delays in the delivery of medical commodities. Moreover, the lack of adequate road infrastructure connecting rural health facilities and the great distances between these facilities and villages make it difficult to provide timely access to critical medical commodities, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

In Africa, approximately 1.6 million people die from communicable diseases annually that could be prevented with timely access to appropriate and affordable medicines, vaccines, and other health services, according to the African Renewal Magazine. Healthcare workers in poor-resource settings face several challenges in delivering healthcare services, including a lack of collaboration between multiple institutions and stakeholders, such as health facilities, warehouses, and regulatory bodies, with experts in the public and private sectors of healthcare technology, particularly in remote areas. Furthermore, there is insufficient integration of multidisciplinary knowledge of health experts, computing, engineering, and machine learning to address health issues in the development of appropriate health interventions to access healthcare.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology holds enormous potential for the delivery of medical supplies in the healthcare system. Medical commodities and products transportation is a major public health concern requiring multidisciplinary collaboration among experts in medicine, engineering, computing, and public health. The available modes of transportation fail to overcome the challenges in resource-poor settings, particularly in remote areas. The airship technology will be integrated into existing supply chain management systems. Healthcare delivery in remote areas in an austere environment presents many challenges when services are not available. Airship technology could successfully deliver life-sustaining medical supplies to a remote, denied environment where vehicle or foot traffic is limited. This will enhance the prevention and control of epidemics in poor resource settings. 

The main transport means in rural areas in Kenya is by road, which has various challenges such as poor infrastructure and maintenance. Some areas are inaccessible, especially during the rainy season, due to security concerns, and due to traffic delays in urban areas. Currently, the average turnaround time for responses to an emergency is 48 hours which is quite a long time that could lead to complications or death. In areas such as the islands in the Lake Basin Region boats are used, which are unreliable and could lead to damage to medical supplies and pose a risk to the person transporting the drugs. Airships can do affordable scheduled deliveries in hard-to-reach areas, have a quicker response time in case of an emergency, and don't require fixed-ground infrastructure to deliver. Currently, most drone technologies carry 1-7 kg of payload, while this airship has a 15kg payload and therefore can solve systemic challenges, vs. serving emergencies caused by stockouts one patient at a time. Furthermore, the airship is uniquely capable of conducting multi-stop deliveries and pick-ups. This offers tremendous efficiency when serving multiple destinations in a remote area.

To address this issue, we propose the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology for the delivery of medical supplies. UAV technology holds enormous potential for the healthcare system, especially in resource-poor settings. With the integration of airship technology into existing supply chain management systems, we can successfully deliver life-sustaining medical supplies to remote, hard-to-reach areas where traditional modes of transportation fail to overcome the challenges.

Our proposed solution offers several advantages over traditional transportation methods. The airship technology can do affordable scheduled deliveries in hard-to-reach areas, has the ability to conduct multistop deliveries, and does not require fixed-ground infrastructure to deliver. This makes it an ideal solution for areas with poor infrastructure and maintenance. Additionally, the airship has a 15kg payload capacity, which is significantly higher than most drone technologies that typically carry 1-7 kg of payload.

This way, KFL can efficiently serve multiple destinations in a remote area, thanks to the airship's unique capability to conduct multi-stop deliveries and pick-ups. This capability offers tremendous efficiency when serving multiple destinations in a remote area, making it an ideal solution for healthcare delivery in poor resource settings.

Kisumu is one of the counties with the worst health indicators in the country both in terms of disease burden and poverty, as described by the Kenyan Health Sector Strategic Plan 2018-2023. The region is heavily affected by preventable disease(s) such as malaria and HIV/AIDS and features the highest rates of HIV infection (KDHS, 2014). The county has 7 sub-counties: Kisumu East, Kisumu West, Kisumu Central, Muhoroni, Seme, Nyando, and Nyakach, with a total of 88 Health facilities (Hospitals, Health Centers, and Dispensaries) of which 43 are government health facilities. According to USAID (2018), Kisumu County has been categorized among the top ten high-priority counties with regard to Maternal and Child Health indicators. For instance, a child born in Nyanza is 2 times more likely to die before the age of 5 years than that born in the Central region (KDHS, 2014). The Infant Mortality Rate for Kisumu County is 95/1000, under-five mortality rates are 149/1000 and maternal mortality has been estimated to be 590 per 100,000 live births which is high as compared to the national rates of 39 per 1,000 live births, 52 per 1,000 live births and 362 per 100,000 live births respectively. Infrastructure is one of the major setbacks in this region, where remote clinics cannot receive critical medical supplies due to bad roads, numerous islands are disadvantaged when it comes to transport as boats are slow and a great risk to service providers. This is where the MedShuttle airship comes in. 

In this project, we aim to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of the underserved population in the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties. This region is heavily affected by preventable diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS and has high rates of infant and maternal mortality. The existing health facilities, including hospitals, health centers, and dispensaries, are inadequate to address the needs of the population. One of the major setbacks in this region is the lack of proper infrastructure, where remote clinics cannot receive critical medical supplies due to bad roads, and numerous islands are disadvantaged when it comes to transport as boats are slow and pose a great risk to service providers.

Our proposed solution is the MedShuttle airship, which will ensure timely and scheduled deliveries of medical supplies to remote sites and islands in the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties. This will enable us to manage stock-outs at the clinics and prevent emergency cases. With our intervention, the Lakeside Region and its environs will benefit from our efficient and reliable supply chain management system. Our goal is to improve maternal and child health indicators, reduce the rates of preventable diseases, and ultimately improve the quality of life for the underserved population in the region.

The KFL team is composed of individuals who have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by the people living in Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties. The Team Lead was born and raised in Kisumu, and has firsthand experience with the challenges of accessing healthcare services in the region. The team representative has also spent significant time working and volunteering in the area, and has a strong connection to the local communities.

We have engaged with various stakeholders, including community leaders, healthcare workers, and patients, to understand their needs and concerns. We have held focus group discussions, conducted surveys, and organized community meetings to gather input and feedback on our proposed solution. This has been an ongoing process, and we will continue to involve the communities as we develop and implement the MedShuttle airship solution.

Our solution has been meaningfully guided by the communities' input, ideas, and agendas. We have taken into account the unique geographic and transportation challenges faced by the region, as well as the specific needs of the healthcare facilities and patients. Our team has worked closely with local partners to ensure that our solution is culturally appropriate and respectful of local customs and practices.

The KFL team is well-positioned to deliver this solution because of our deep connection to the communities we are serving, our ongoing engagement with stakeholders, and our commitment to developing a solution that meets the unique needs and challenges of the region.

By the end of the IDRC-funded research, this solution is expected to be serving up to 2000 people. We are currently in the process of undergoing regulatory approvals to enable the flight component of this research to happen. Between three and five medical facilities per sub-county of Kisumu and Homa-Bay will be onboarded to take part in this research. Different data points will be recorded during the period of the research and analyzed into generating insights and facts regarding the impact and value of supplementing medical logistics supply chain with autonomous solar-powered airships.

Our team is excited to apply to Solve because we believe that the program can provide us with valuable resources and support to overcome the barriers we face in implementing our solution. Specifically, we hope to leverage the Solve network to connect with impact-minded leaders and potential partners within our target industries and sectors in order to expand the reach and impact of our project. We are also eager to explore potential funding opportunities through grants and other non-monetary support that Solve can provide, which will enable us to sustain and grow our work in Kenya. Additionally, we see Solve as a unique opportunity to learn from other innovators and community-based projects around the world and to bring those insights back to our local context in order to continually improve our solution. While funding is certainly an important component of our engagement with Solve, we recognize that the program offers a much broader range of resources and connections that can help us advance our vision and achieve a meaningful impact on the communities we serve.

The MedShuttle airship solution is a novel and innovative approach to addressing critical challenges facing healthcare delivery in remote and disadvantaged areas of the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties in Kenya. Traditional transportation methods, such as road or boat, are often slow, unreliable, and unsuitable for the urgent and timely delivery of critical medical supplies to remote clinics and islands.

The airship is developed and manufactured in Africa by Africans for Africa, this gives us the confidence that repair and maintenance is within reach meaning sustained use of the technology with minimum downtime as a result of repairs or required parts that are the easily available within the continent. A team from KFL has also been given capacity to conduct basic maintencae and repair by the manufacturer Cloudline Inc based in Stellenbosch, South Africa. 

The MedShuttle airship solution solves this problem by utilizing air transportation, a faster and more reliable mode of transport that can deliver medical supplies to remote areas in a timely and efficient manner. This approach is unique and groundbreaking, as it has not been widely explored in the healthcare industry in the region.

In addition to addressing the issue of timely delivery, the MedShuttle airship solution also ensures that medical supplies are delivered on a scheduled basis to prevent stockouts and ensure a consistent supply of essential supplies. This approach is not only innovative but also highly impactful, as it helps improve the overall quality of healthcare in the region.

The potential impact of the MedShuttle airship solution extends beyond the immediate communities it serves. The solution has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the healthcare industry by providing a scalable model that can be replicated in other remote and underserved areas in Kenya and other developing countries. This innovation has the potential to inspire other players in the healthcare industry to explore new ways of using technology to improve healthcare delivery in remote and underserved areas.

Furthermore, the MedShuttle airship solution has the potential to change the market by creating new business opportunities for companies in the aviation and healthcare industries and providing employment opportunities for local communities. Its demonstration of the viability and scalability of air transportation for medical supplies could inspire other players in the industry to invest in similar initiatives, thus promoting innovation and growth in the sector.

In summary it boasts of the following;

1. Carbon Free Aviation at Scale 
- Uses battery and solar-powered propulsion to deliver carbon emission free flight operations.
- Each airship saves op to four tonnes of carbon emissionper day compared to helicopter operations. 
- Its Emmisions remain carbon free up to its targeted payload capacity of 100kgs. 

2. Quiter, Safer Skies 
- Helium lifting gas ensures unrivalled safety compared to drones and rotorcrafts.
- High visibility and quiter means transparent and trusted operations.

Our impact goals for the next year and the next five years are to:

1. Improve access to critical medical supplies for remote and underserved communities in the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties of Kenya, reducing stockouts and ensuring a consistent supply of essential medicines and medical equipment.

2. Increase the number of clinics and health facilities we serve, providing access to quality healthcare services to more people in remote and underserved areas.

3. Reduce the time it takes to deliver medical supplies to remote areas by at least 50%, saving more lives through timely delivery of essential medical supplies.

4. Create employment opportunities for local communities in the aviation and healthcare sectors, supporting economic development in the region.

To achieve these impact goals, we will take several actions, including:

1. Scaling up our operations to reach more clinics and health facilities in the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties, using the MedShuttle airship to deliver critical medical supplies to remote areas and islands.

2. Strengthening our partnerships with local health authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to increase our impact and leverage their networks and resources.

3. Expanding our fleet of MedShuttle airships, to increase our capacity and reach more remote areas in Kenya and other developing countries.

4. Conducting regular monitoring and evaluation of our impact, to ensure that we are making progress towards our impact goals and continuously improving our operations.

To measure our progress towards our impact goals, we will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative indicators. These will include:

• Number of medical supplies delivered: We will track the number of medical supplies delivered via the MedShuttle airship to remote clinics and islands in the Kisumu and Homabay sub-counties of Kenya. This will help us determine whether we are meeting our goal of increasing access to essential medical supplies in the region.

• Reduction in stockouts: We will monitor the frequency of stockouts of medical supplies in the clinics and islands we serve. By ensuring that medical supplies are delivered on a scheduled basis, we aim to reduce the occurrence of stockouts and ensure that clinics have the resources they need to provide quality healthcare.

• Time saved in transportation: We will track the time it takes for medical supplies to be delivered to remote clinics and islands via the MedShuttle airship compared to traditional transportation methods such as road or boat. This will help us demonstrate the efficiency gains of air transportation and the impact it can have on improving access to healthcare in remote areas.

• Impact on maternal and child health: We aim to improve maternal and child health outcomes in the region by ensuring that essential medical supplies are available when needed. We will track indicators such as maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as the number of prenatal and postnatal visits made by pregnant women. We will also measure our impact on maternal health by tracking the number of people reached for maternal health services.

Additionally, we will track the number of flights or deliveries performed and the cumulative payload delivered, which will help us understand our operational efficiency and capacity to scale. 

Moreover, we will measure the impact of our solution on changing attitudes towards the use of drone technology in the healthcare sector. This will be done by tracking the level of awareness and acceptance of drone technology among healthcare workers and community members, as well as the number of partnerships and collaborations we establish with relevant stakeholders in the sector.

IF we design and develop autonomous solar-powered airships equipped with cargo bays for medical supplies, establish partnerships with local organizations and healthcare providers to identify target communities and healthcare facilities, conduct research and engage with target communities to understand their healthcare needs and priorities, 

AND conduct training and capacity building for healthcare workers on the use of airships and proper handling of medical supplies, 

THEN we can improve access to medical supplies and equipment for remote and hard-to-reach communities, increase the capacity of healthcare workers to provide medical care, improve health outcomes for target communities, increase trust in the healthcare system and healthcare providers, and ultimately, sustain and integrate healthcare infrastructure in rural areas, increase the resilience of communities to health crises, and improve economic opportunities and quality of life for community members. 

To support the success of this process, we will conduct ongoing research and evaluation, gather feedback from stakeholders, and collaborate with local organizations to ensure that our solutions are culturally appropriate, sustainable, and effective.

Our solution is powered by advanced autonomous solar-powered airship technology that revolutionizes the delivery of medical cargo to rural communities. These airships utilize cutting-edge digital electronics, solar panels, and onboard batteries to operate without the need for a power grid or frequent refueling stops. They are equipped with cargo bays that can be loaded and unloaded quickly and efficiently, providing healthcare workers with easy access to a range of medical supplies, vaccines, and equipment. The airships are also autonomous, which reduces the need for skilled pilots and lowers the cost of operation, making them an affordable solution for last-mile delivery of medical cargo. Their ability to fly for extended periods, navigate harsh weather conditions, and avoid obstacles like mountains and trees make them a reliable and efficient way to provide healthcare to remote and hard-to-reach communities. We believe that this core technology has the potential to transform healthcare delivery and improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.

KFL’s project team and stakeholders embody diversity, equity, and inclusivity, leveraging a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We intentionally designed our team to identify and overcome any potential biases or blind spots that could undermine our project's efficacy or fairness within the communities we serve.

To ensure an inclusive approach, we are deeply attuned to the needs and experiences of all stakeholders, including the communities and healthcare workers receiving medical cargo and those affected by the drones flying in their airspace. This entails collaborating with stakeholders to understand their unique challenges and designing the delivery system accordingly.

Moreover, KFL is committed to proactively addressing the potential impact of drone delivery on the environment and local communities. We actively seek out and address concerns such as noise pollution, privacy, and safety through open consultation and transparency. We have already initiated community engagement with project beneficiaries to facilitate smooth implementation, while also demystifying myths and beliefs that may hinder progress.

KFL’s commitment to equity is reflected in our platform's ability to conduct multi-stop deliveries and implement reverse logistics of commodities, ensuring accessibility to remote clinics regardless of socio-economic status or other factors. Above all, we approach the project with empathy, transparency, and a willingness to listen and adapt to the needs of all stakeholders, as we strive to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusivity into the use of drones to deliver crucial cargo to underserved communities.

Business-to-Business (B2B):

1. Target market: The target market for the B2B model includes companies that require large-scale transportation of goods, such as mining or construction. These are potential clients outside medical facilities.
2. Revenue model: The revenue model could be based on charging a fee for each kilogram of cargo transported, as well as additional fees for specialized services such as custom loading and unloading.
3. Operations: The MedShuttle could be stationed at strategic locations near the target markets and could fly regular routes to transport goods. The company could also offer on-demand services for urgent or time-sensitive deliveries.
4. Impact: MedShuttle cargo delivery could significantly impact the logistics industry by offering a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective alternative to traditional transportation methods such as trucks and ships.

Business-to-Government (B2G):

1. Target market: The target market for the B2G model includes government agencies, and parastatals, county and national governments.
2. Revenue model: The revenue model will be based on charging a fee for each kilogram of cargo transported and offering specialized services such as rapid deployment but non-emergency response.
3. Operations: The airships will be stationed at a strategic location and could be used for the rapid deployment of supplies. We will also offer emergency response services in the event of natural disasters or other emergencies by providing foodstuffs and medical supplies.
4. Impact: MedShuttle delivery could significantly impact emergency response efforts by providing a quick and efficient means of transporting personnel and supplies to affected areas.

To ensure our scalability, financial sustainability is a top priority for us. We have developed a comprehensive plan to generate revenue that supports our core mission, which includes the following measures:

Our airship platform has a wide surface area and high visibility when in the air, making it an ideal space for media selling. We plan to run ads for different brands in the areas where we operate to generate income that can be invested back into our core objective. This will also allow us to provide deliveries at a reduced cost or even no cost at all to last-mile clients who may not afford the service after funding closes.

Due to our larger payload capacity, we can offer cargo deliveries to remote areas on a scheduled basis, even when we have fewer items to transport. This will help us maintain financial sustainability during each delivery.

We can partner with county governments in areas where we operate to provide mapping services when we are not conducting deliveries. Our drone's various sensors enable us to collect valuable data that can help counties plan towns, road infrastructure, predict yields, and study crop health. This data can also be beneficial to organizations such as the National Environmental Management Authority, which can use it for air quality monitoring.

By leveraging these and other potential use cases, we can continue providing core delivery services while remaining financially sustainable even after the end of the funding period.

Our solution is the first of its kind in this area however sufficient tests have been done to approve it by the regulatory agencies. We believe the strategies we have indicated under sustainability will enable us to sustain operations in the Lake Region and possibly expand.