Farrah J Mateen1, K H Benjamin Leung2, Andre C Vogel1, Abass Fode Cissé3, Timothy C Y Chan2. 1. Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, #627 - 165 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114, USA. 2. Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering University of Toronto, MC315 - 5 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G8, Canada. 3. Department of Neurology, Ignace Deen Hospital, 9th Boulevard, Conakry, Republic of Guinea.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In urbanized, low-income cities with high rates of congestion, delivery of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to people with epilepsy for both emergency and non-urgent distribution may prove beneficial. METHODS: Conakry is the capital of the Republic of Guinea, a low-income sub-Saharan African country (2018 per capita gross national income US$830). We computed the number of drones and delivery times to distribute AEDs from a main urban hospital to 27 pre-identified gas stations, mosques and pharmacies and compared these to the delivery times of a personal vehicle. RESULTS: We predict that a single drone could serve all pre-identified delivery locations in Conakry within a 20.4-h period. In an emergency case of status epilepticus, 8, 20 and 24 of the 27 pre-identified destinations can be reached from the hub within 5, 10 and 15 min, respectively. Compared with the use of a personal vehicle, the response time for a drone is reduced by an average of 78.8% across all times of the day. CONCLUSIONS: Drones can dramatically reduce the response time for both emergency and routine delivery of lifesaving medicines. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such a drone delivery model with relevance to epilepsy. However, the commissioning of a trial of drones for drug delivery in related diseases and geographies is justified.
BACKGROUND: In urbanized, low-income cities with high rates of congestion, delivery of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to people with epilepsy for both emergency and non-urgent distribution may prove beneficial. METHODS: Conakry is the capital of the Republic of Guinea, a low-income sub-Saharan African country (2018 per capita gross national income US$830). We computed the number of drones and delivery times to distribute AEDs from a main urban hospital to 27 pre-identified gas stations, mosques and pharmacies and compared these to the delivery times of a personal vehicle. RESULTS: We predict that a single drone could serve all pre-identified delivery locations in Conakry within a 20.4-h period. In an emergency case of status epilepticus, 8, 20 and 24 of the 27 pre-identified destinations can be reached from the hub within 5, 10 and 15 min, respectively. Compared with the use of a personal vehicle, the response time for a drone is reduced by an average of 78.8% across all times of the day. CONCLUSIONS: Drones can dramatically reduce the response time for both emergency and routine delivery of lifesaving medicines. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such a drone delivery model with relevance to epilepsy. However, the commissioning of a trial of drones for drug delivery in related diseases and geographies is justified.
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