By Vikram S. Puri, Inventor, Entrepreneur and Rotarian with multiple technology patents and 34+years of Supply Chain Experience.

The logistical challenge of distributing vaccines and getting billions of people vaccinated over the coming months and years seems arguably the most complex challenge the world has ever seen. Covid-19 has by far been the most anticipated product launch ever and not a single mistake can be afforded in the supply chain while distributing this product.

India has been at the helm of producing and supplying vaccines not only to their own citizens but also to neighboring countries as it has donated millions of doses of vaccines to fellow Asian Nations. The role of India in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of this vaccine is immense. India has carried out its vaccination program quicker than all the other nations, reaching more people in fewer days,  keeping in mind the huge population this country has, it’s been an achievement thus far.

India has a highly effective immunization program for babies and pregnant women but there seems to be nothing in place for the rest of the population, specifically for the elderly who are most vulnerable to coronavirus. It faces further greater challenges in getting its 1.3 billion people immunized.

The Healthcare system of this country has been pushed to it’s testing limit due to the pandemic, especially in the remote areas of the country.

Some of the ways through which India can meet it’s distribution Challenges:-

Temperature Controlled Distribution

According to a report by the International Air Transport Association’s Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics, 25 percent of the vaccines are degraded by the time they arrive at their destination, and temperature errors cause losses of around $34.1 billion

Distribution of Covid-19 vaccines should be done via a temperature-controlled cold chain, as these vaccines are highly sensitive and require constant checks. In a warmer climate such as India, Cold-chain logistics are particularly difficult to manage.

The major issue with India’s cold storage facilities is their capacity to transport vaccines at the required temperature. Some vaccines being developed might need to be stored at up to -70 degree Celsius, whereas India’s cold storage network that is used for the government’s universal immunization program only has the capability to transport vaccines at colder than -25 degree Celcius.

In such scenarios, Private sectors would be sought out sooner or later by the Government for the successful distribution of vaccines. Monitoring temperature throughout the journey becomes a pertinent task as fluctuations of temperature could lead to the damage of vaccines.

Safe supply of Vaccines through use of IoT and Tracking

Looking back at the long history of Counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical supply chain – Traceability and tracking are a must. The high and unprecedented demand for Covid Vaccination compels us to make sure every dose is tracked and verified in order to not let counterfeits being delivered to vulnerable populations.

The important question however is the tracking of the vaccines and how can it be done? Advanced technologies such as sensors and interconnected IoT ( Internet of Things) devices must be used to track the vaccines. These devices can alert you in various situations such as Opening of doors in unusual situations, Diversion of the route by the driver, Unusual stoppage of trucks, and so on.

Through the use of these devices and sensors, we can make sure that the distributions of Vaccines are carried out safely and to the Designated destinations.

Fleetview with its comprehensive technology offers Temperature Monitoring solutions as well as Tracking solutions for the past 20 years. Some other features that are provided by us that will help you immensely in your supply-chain:-

•       A control tower to alert you to possible vulnerable situations, with alarms and dashboards
             
•             Monitor temperature minute-by-minute across your supply chain
             
•             High/low-temperature alerts and Fluctuation alerts.
             
•             Door sensors for alerts.
             
•             Dashboard for Detailed analysis
             
•             GPS tracking to know the whereabouts of your vehicle
             
•             Real-time insights from your fleets.
             
•             Complete incident management and response platform.
  
  

An end-to-end visibility solution like Fleetview gives you complete control over your Cold Chain – a tool that is indispensable for effective operations today.

Call or write to us on how we can help you make your business operations and supply chain more effective and agile.