Strategic reduction of Plasmodium falciparum infant mortality in Nigeria: Enhancing healthcare equity through medical drone delivery of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine
Keywords:
Malaria, vaccine, global health, bioethics, health inequity, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), global sustainabilityAbstract
Malaria has been known to be a fatal disease that can be transmitted through the exchange of blood and is carried by the plasmodium parasite. Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa that has suffered the most from malaria, with the region accounting for 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths. Malaria is the leading cause of child and infant mortality in Nigeria, due to the many healthcare disparities and inadequate access to current treatments. We researched the distribution and transportation issues around inefficient road systems, and vaccine storage surrounding malaria treatment, using a case study of a Rwandan drug transportation startup known as Zipline. When investigating through an ethical lens, we focused on the concepts of priority setting for malaria cases in Nigeria, specifically infant health groups, and the ethical mass distribution of vaccines. By integrating self-assembled, automated, GPS-routed, electronic drones and optimizing the storage system, our research aimed to propose a cutting-edge, sustainable ethical solution for the distribution of the RTS, S/AS01 vaccine. This research shines light on how to effectively combat similar health crises via the usage of medical delivery drones for mass administration.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Saumik Das, Brian Wolfe, Varchas Kukreja, Yubo Gao
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