Can a drone outperform a boat when lives are on the line?

In Kalangala District, delivering antiretroviral therapy and biological samples across water and terrain isn't just logistics; it's a matter of health equity.

This week's Makerere University Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) Virtual Research Forum asks: what if unmanned air vehicles could close that gap faster, and more sustainably, than the routes we rely on now?

Topic: Use of Unmanned Air Vehicles (Medical Drones) to Overcome Geographical Barriers to Delivery of Antiretroviral Therapy and Biological Samples

Presenter: Petra Mariaria, BSc, MPhil — Qualitative Analyst at the Academy for Health Innovation, IDI, where she leads life cycle assessment work nested within the department's clinical trials. She trained in Environmental Health at the University of Kabianga, Kenya, holds an MPhil in Population Health Sciences from the University of Cambridge (Mastercard Foundation Scholar), and is a 2025 Mercedes-Benz beVisioneers Fellow in decarbonisation. Her current work quantifies the emissions of drone versus boat delivery of ART to Kalangala District, and evaluates an intervention to reduce vertical HIV transmission during breastfeeding in Zambia.

Moderated by: Dr. Agnes Bwanika Naggirinya, MBChB, MSc, MMed, PhD — Innovate Theme Lead, Academy-IDI

Date: Thursday, 3^rd September 2026
Time: 1:00 PM EAT
Zoom: https://shorturl.at/YVmk7

At the intersection of climate, sustainability and health systems, this is a conversation for anyone thinking about how we deliver care differently.