Submission ID 118493
| Issue/Objective | Madagascar is home to over 30-million people, 60% of whom live in hard-to-access rural or remote regions. Geographic isolation, extreme weather, inadequate road infrastructure, and chronic public underfunding have created significant barriers to equitable and accessible healthcare. Over recent years, an emerging medical drone delivery (MDD) system in Madagascar has presented an innovative solution for challenges related to ground-based health supply chains. Despite growing global interest in this technological innovation, research exploring how medical drones are perceived by and affect healthcare in remote communities remains limited. This critical gap in the literature must be addressed to harness the full potential of MDD, secure sustainable financing, and ensure current and future programming is centered around community perspectives. |
|---|---|
| Methodology/Approach | This qualitative sub-study took place within a larger case study analysis informed by Yin's case study methodology and guided by the socio-technical systems theoretical framework. In January and February 2025, the research team travelled to nine remote communities in three regions of Madagascar and conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders on the receiving end of MDD operations, including community-level coordinators, healthcare workers, and local leaders, with the goal of understanding how drones are perceived and affect healthcare in these settings. |
| Results | Communities in Madagascar perceive drones as symbols of health and reliability. Fewer stockouts and routine delivery of vaccines improve trust and confidence in local clinics. Though skepticism is common during the initial introduction, community education programs, support from community leaders, and witnessing the changes in healthcare delivery quickly alleviate concerns. Healthcare workers report positive impacts on healthcare in drone-serviced communities, including improved vaccination rates, emergency response capacity, and health seeking behaviours, as well as reduced medical stockouts and product wastage. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | This study shows the potentially transformative impact of MDD on health supply chains in hard-to-access regions of Madagascar. Findings related to community perceptions highlight the importance of community engagement and education while introducing MDD technology, and demonstrate that when implemented appropriately, drones are overwhelmingly seen positively by communities. The effect of MDD on healthcare accessibility in remote regions contributes to the necessity for evidence on the impact of innovative solutions in global health. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Brianne O'Sullivan Western University Brianne O'Sullivan Western University Elysée Nouvet Western University |
