The vaccine challenge
Drug and vaccine distribution visibility and risk management have long raised significant issues. With global vaccination for Covid-19, the challenges are greater than ever. Vast demand for vaccines worldwide, coupled with constraints in qualified transportation availability and, is placing intense ongoing pressure on the pharmaceutical industry and its funding partners.
A consistently high standard of management is required from supply chain professionals to address distribution risks, including:
- Delay - we need to act quickly to reach seven billion people as soon as possible
- Inequitable distribution - with the developing world having to rely on COVAX
- Production constraints - Covid-19 vaccines are a limited resource
- Vaccine ineffectiveness - vaccines have a limited shelf-life and must be maintained at specific temperatures, from the point of manufacture to the point of the needle
- Complex logistical infrastructure -multi-tiered networks in developing world, from primary in-country airport or port to last mile, in-country transport provision
- Lack of qualified logistics capacity - limited number of quality and security logistics partners due to scale
- Poor data and visibility - from manual processes and minimal use of technology
- Weak processes - due to the low skills/capabilities and reduction of in-person auditing
- Crime - from theft, diversion or counterfeiting of vaccines
- Reputational damage
