Two of Nigeria’s 36 states signed an agreement with Zipline International Inc. to use drones to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to hard-to-reach and conflict-ridden rural areas in Africa’s most populous country.
Zipline, which is based in San Francisco, is completing the construction of hubs and distribution centers, as well as obtaining the approval of regulators to operate in the states of Cross River and Kaduna with a target to make the first deliveries within three months.
This even as Nigerian officials say the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the economy and social distancing has tripled the number of mental health cases. In response, Nigeria has launched the first toll-free, 24-hour helpline staffed by trained psychologists and counselors.
