{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,7]],"date-time":"2026-04-07T12:02:35Z","timestamp":1775563355350,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Elsevier BV","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]],"date-time":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767225600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.elsevier.com\/tdm\/userlicense\/1.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,1]],"date-time":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767225600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.elsevier.com\/legal\/tdmrep-license"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772841600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":65,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["elsevier.com","sciencedirect.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Procedia Computer Science"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"DOI":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,24]],"date-time":"2026-03-24T12:39:40Z","timestamp":1774355980000},"page":"1170-1177","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/elsevier_cm_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"special_numbering":"C","title":["Drones and Africa\u2019s Health Challenges: A Narrative Review"],"prefix":"10.1016","volume":"278","author":[{"given":"Ramadile","family":"Moletsane","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"78","reference":[{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techsoc.2021.101624","article-title":"\u201cIntricacies of medical drones in healthcare delivery: Implications for Africa.\u201d","volume":"66","author":"Nyaaba","year":"2021","journal-title":"Technology in Society"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib2","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cApplications of Medical Drones in Public Health: An Overview.\u201d","volume":"5","author":"Qureshi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Human Anatomy"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3390\/logistics8040104","article-title":"\u201cCurrent Advancements in Drone Technology for Medical Sample Transportation.\u201d","volume":"8","author":"Stierlin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Logistics"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib4","unstructured":"\u201cWorld Economic Forum | \u201cMedicines from the sky: how drones can save lives\u201d https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2020\/04\/medicines-from-the-sky-how-a-drone-may-save-your-life\/ (accessed Aug. 15, 2025)."},{"issue":"4","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib5","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cMedical Drones for Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Resilience: Delivering Health for All.\u201d","volume":"1","author":"O\u2019Sullivan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Drones Veh. Auton"},{"issue":"10","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5279","DOI":"10.1097\/MS9.0000000000001221","article-title":"\u201cExploring the transformative role of drone technology in advancing healthcare delivery in Africa; a perspective.\u201d","volume":"85","author":"Olatunji","year":"2023","journal-title":"Annals of medicine and surgery"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/17441692.2024.2405987","article-title":"\u201cDigital entanglements: Medical drones in African healthcare systems.\u201d","volume":"19","author":"Ameso","year":"2024","journal-title":"Global Public Health"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib8","unstructured":"Anim-Yeboah, S., Apau, R., and Preko, M. (2022) \u201cDrones in the Digital Transformation of Healthcare Delivery in Africa\u201d, in Boateng, R., Boateng, S.L., Anning-Dorson, T., and Olumide Babatope, L. (eds) Digital Innovations, Business and Society in Africa: New Frontiers and a Shared Strategic Vision, Switzerland, Springer International"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib9","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cReflecting upon the humanitarian use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).\u201d","volume":"149","author":"Tatsidoua","year":"2019","journal-title":"Swiss Med Wkly"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wem.2016.12.010","article-title":"\u201cFirst Report of Using Portable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) for Search and Rescue.\u201d","volume":"28","author":"Van Tilburg","year":"2017","journal-title":"Wilderness & Environmental Medicine"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib11","first-page":"35","article-title":"\u201cEmergency Response and Disaster Management Leveraging Drones for Rapid Assessment and Relief Operations.\u201d","volume":"3","author":"Eshtaiwi","year":"2023","journal-title":"African Journal of Advanced Pure and Applied Sciences"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.59298\/ROJESR\/2025\/4.2.2936","article-title":"\u201cDrones in Disaster Response: Real-Time Data Collection and Analysis.\u201d","volume":"4","author":"Mugisha","year":"2025","journal-title":"Research Output Journal of Engineering and Scientific Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"342","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_413_18","article-title":"\u201cUnmanned aerial vehicle (drones) in public health: A SWOT analysis.\u201d","volume":"8","author":"Laksham","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scott, J., and Scott, C. (2017) \u201cDrone Delivery Models for Healthcare.\u201d, in 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-50), Hilton Waikoloa Village, AIS eLibrary","DOI":"10.24251\/HICSS.2017.399"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib15","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cDrone-Facilitated Real-Time Video-Guided Feedback Helps to Improve the Quality of Lay Bystander Basic Life Support. A Randomized Controlled Simulation Trial.\u201d","volume":"29","author":"Kienbacher","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prehospital emergency care"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjph-2024-000894","article-title":"\u201cDrone-based medical delivery in the extreme conditions of Himalayan region: a feasibility study.\u201d","volume":"2","author":"Aggarwal","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ Public Health"},{"issue":"8","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"849","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajic.2022.03.004","article-title":"\u201cThe use of drones for the delivery of diagnostic test kits and medical supplies to remote First Nations communities during Covid-19.\u201d","volume":"50","author":"Flemons","year":"2022","journal-title":"American Journal of Infection Control"},{"issue":"9","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib18","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cAd-dressing the health workforce gap to achieve the Universal Health Coverage and \"The Africa We Want\".\u201d","volume":"13","author":"Mbadiwe","year":"2024","journal-title":"PAMJ - One Health"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2021-008317","article-title":"\u201cThe health workforce status in the WHO African Region: findings of a cross-sectional study.\u201d","volume":"7","author":"Ahmat","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib20","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cAir Ambulance Drone for Medical Surveillance.\u201d","volume":"2318","author":"Janney","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Physics: Conference Series"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1007\/s10100-021-00769-y","article-title":"\u201cA review on initiatives for the management of daily medical emergencies prior to the arrival of emergency medical services.\u201d","volume":"30","author":"Matinrad","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cent Eur J Oper Res"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Montesines-Nagayo, A., Al-Ajmi, M., Guduri, N., AlBuradai, F., Kindi, A., and Farsi, A. (2021) \u201cAn Unmanned Aerial Robot and Physiological Data Monitoring System integrated into a Patient Transport Vehicle for Emergency Medical Services and Telehealth.\u201d, in 5th International Conference on Information Systems and Computer Networks (ISCON), Mathura, India, IEEE","DOI":"10.1109\/ISCON52037.2021.9702340"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s41073-019-0064-8","article-title":"\u201cSANRA\u2014a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles.\u201d","volume":"4","author":"Baethge","year":"2019","journal-title":"Research Integrity and Peer Review"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib24","unstructured":"World Economic Fund. (2021) \u201cMedicine from the Sky Opportunities and Lessons from Drones in Africa.\u201d 1-38."},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib25","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cChallenges for the Routine Application of Drones in Healthcare: A Scoping Review.\u201d","volume":"7","author":"De Silvestri","year":"2023","journal-title":"Drones"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tetteh, A., Addai, F., and Asihene, W.D. (2025) \u201cInvestigating drone technology in health-care products delivery in rural communities in Ghana: benefits, barriers and perceptions.\u201d Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management 2025, pp. 1-22.","DOI":"10.1108\/JHLSCM-05-2024-0061"},{"issue":"2","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cja.2020.06.006","article-title":"\u201cDo drones have a realistic place in a pandemic fight for delivering medical supplies in healthcare systems problems?\u201d","volume":"34","author":"Euchi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chinese Journal of Aeronautics"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.4103\/sja.sja_506_23","article-title":"\u201cDrone a technological leap in health care delivery in distant and remote inaccessible areas: A narrative review.\u201d","volume":"18","author":"Sharma","year":"2024","journal-title":"Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib29","first-page":"1","article-title":"\u201cOpportunities and challenges of drones and internet of drones in healthcare supply chains under disruption.\u201d","author":"Pacheco","year":"2024","journal-title":"Production Planning & Control.\u201d"},{"issue":"1","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib30","first-page":"60","article-title":"\u201cDrone Use in Military and Civilian Application: Risk to National Security.\u201d","volume":"15","author":"Adnan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Media and Information Warfare"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wojciechowska, A., Hamidi, F., Lucero, A., and Cauchard, J. (2020) \u201cChasing Lions: Co-Designing Human-Drone Interaction in Sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d, in Proceedings of the 2020 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference, Eindhoven, Netherlands, ACM","DOI":"10.1145\/3357236.3395481"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib32","unstructured":"HealthTechAfrica | \u201cHow Drones Are Bridging the Medical Supply Gap in Rwanda\u201d https:\/\/healthtechafrica.org\/resources\/case-study\/how-drones-are-bridging-medical-supply-gap-rwanda\/ (accessed Aug. 18, 2025)."},{"issue":"8","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib33","first-page":"8760","article-title":"\u201cBlood Delivery by Drones: A Case Study on Zipline. International Journal of Innovative\u201d","volume":"8","author":"Gangwal","year":"2019","journal-title":"Research in Science, Engineering and Technology"},{"issue":"8","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1489","DOI":"10.1177\/0308518X221118915","article-title":"\u201cInfrastructure-as-a-service: Empty skies, bad roads, and the rise of cargo drones.\u201d","volume":"54","author":"Umlauf","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.3390\/drones4030051","article-title":"\u201cInsights Before Flights: How Community Perceptions Can Make or Break Medical Drone Deliveries.\u201d","volume":"4","author":"Truog","year":"2020","journal-title":"Drones"},{"issue":"4","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2019-001541","article-title":"\u201cBi-directional drones to strengthen healthcare provision: experiences and lessons from Madagascar, Malawi and Senegal.\u201d","volume":"4","author":"Knoblauch","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Glob Health"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib37","unstructured":"Reuters | \u201cDrones could speed up HIV tests in remote areas\u201d https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-malawi-hiv-drones-idUSKCN0XH1ZN\/ (accessed Aug. 16, 2025)."},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, N. (2020) \u201c\"Killing Two Birds with One Stone\"? A Case Study of Development Use of Drones.\u201d, in Proceedings of IEEE 2020 International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS), Phoenix, USA, IEEE","DOI":"10.1109\/ISTAS50296.2020.9462187"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"322","DOI":"10.20965\/jrm.2018.p0322","article-title":"\u201cResearch and Development of Drone and Roadmap to Evolution.\u201d","volume":"30","author":"Nonami","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics"},{"issue":"3","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mjafi.2023.11.003","article-title":"\u201cRevolutionizing healthcare: Navigating the trajectory of unmanned aerial vehicles from history to horizon.\u201d","volume":"80","author":"Bhattacharya","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medical Journal Armed Forces India"},{"key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.33445\/psssj.2025.6.2.3","article-title":"\u201cThe Origin and Evolution of Military Drone (UAVs) Technology in Warfare Equipment in Africa.\u201d","volume":"6","author":"Monteh","year":"2025","journal-title":"Political Science and Security Studies Journal"},{"issue":"7","key":"10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097_bib42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1108\/IJLM-04-2023-0149","article-title":"\u201cDrones in last-mile delivery: a systematic literature review from a logistics management perspective.\u201d","volume":"36","author":"Jazairy","year":"2024","journal-title":"The International Journal of Logistics Management"}],"container-title":["Procedia Computer Science"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/api.elsevier.com\/content\/article\/PII:S1877050926006927?httpAccept=text\/xml","content-type":"text\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/api.elsevier.com\/content\/article\/PII:S1877050926006927?httpAccept=text\/plain","content-type":"text\/plain","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,7]],"date-time":"2026-04-07T11:17:45Z","timestamp":1775560665000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/linkinghub.elsevier.com\/retrieve\/pii\/S1877050926006927"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"references-count":42,"alternative-id":["S1877050926006927"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097","relation":{},"ISSN":["1877-0509"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1877-0509","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026]]},"assertion":[{"value":"Elsevier","name":"publisher","label":"This article is maintained by"},{"value":"Drones and Africa\u2019s Health Challenges: A Narrative Review","name":"articletitle","label":"Article Title"},{"value":"Procedia Computer Science","name":"journaltitle","label":"Journal Title"},{"value":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.procs.2026.03.097","name":"articlelink","label":"CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version"},{"value":"article","name":"content_type","label":"Content Type"},{"value":"\u00a9 2026 Published by Elsevier B.V.","name":"copyright","label":"Copyright"}]}}