Nigerian Doctor Wants Drones In Africa

Nigerian-born Dr. Timothy Amukele, a pathologist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is currently researching drones as a faster, affordable way to diagnose patients in remote areas.

Dr. Amukele thinks drones are the solution to the problem of carrying out tests in hard-to-reach areas and can reduce the problem of samples getting late to the labs late (past their viability).

"It's cheaper than using motorcycles, which are commonly used for transport in Africa," said Amukele. "You don't have to worry about lack of roads or difficult terrain, because it's travelling as the crow flies."

In July, Amukele and some engineers took 56 blood samples donated by volunteers and loaded them into a drone for flights of up to 38 minutes in length.

For comparison, another 56 samples were transported by car.

In the end, the drone-flown samples showed no deterioration in important characteristics like red cell counts and glucose levels, proving that drones could be a viable alternative for transporting samples.

In October, another test was done to examine the effect of drone flight on live microbe samples such as those used to grow bacteria for a lung or urinary tract infection in order to determine sensitivity to specific antibiotics.

Next up is real-world testing: a pilot project on the ground—and in the air—in a rural region of East Africa.

"If it works, the impact will be huge," said Amukele, noting that, with increased access, patients will be diagnosed and treated earlier, saving lives.

Can you imagine the feeling of sending or receiving a sample with a drone? AWESOME!

In a trial study, doctors in a rural Virginia clinic (in America) were also excited when drones were used to deliver their medication in July.