Getting COVID-19 vaccines to all corners of the world — an unprecedented test for the Global Supply Chain

As the race for developing COVID-19 vaccine heats up, getting the vaccine(s) to all locations around the world, will determine if the global Supply Chain really learnt anything from the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortage crisis earlier this year.

Supply Chain Management is mainly about managing the upstream and downstream flows of; information, goods and services from source to consumption, aimed at maximizing speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, towards fulfilling needs in the market or society.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the world, development and efficient global distribution of COVID-19 vaccine is more urgent than words can explain.

Suffice to say this is an undertaking so urgent and critical, if more lives are to be saved around the world.

Distributing this vaccine to all corners of the globe will be a mammoth task, a logistical nightmare if not strategically planned, tactically coordinated and jointly executed.

COVID-19 Vaccines are a delicate product, extremely fragile with specific handling requirements. They usually need to be stored and transported under freezing temperature.

Hence, a lot will need to be in place if this global undertaking is to be carried out with the urgency, efficiency and cost-effectiveness it so requires.

In this article we look at some of the approaches the global supply chain can apply, to ensure speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to all corners of the globe.

To successfully get COVID-19 vaccines to all corners of the globe, the distribution processes will need to be based on specific factors.

These will include:

1. Stakeholder Collaboration:

The speed at which COVID-19 spread across the globe, is clear demonstration on how closely connected the world is.

This health crisis, is a reminder that continuous stakeholder collaboration on matters of global concern is a must and not a choice.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of leaders from Government, the private sector and non-governmental organization, Dr. Tedros, the Director-General of WHO, stressed the need for global solidarity and collaboration in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

With regards to COVID-19 vaccines currently under development, the Director-General said;

“Countries, health partners, manufacturers, and the private sector must act together and ensure that the fruits of science and research can benefit everybody.”

Partnerships between the Public and Private sectors (PPPs) will be vital in spearheading these cross-sector collaborations, in the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, towards containing this killer contagion.

To strengthen closer stakeholder collaboration and process coordination in this regard, an integrated system like the Supply Network approach will be required.

2. Supply Network approach

A complex undertaking to distribute billions of delicate and temperature sensitive doses of vaccine around the world, will need a Supply network approach, which is systematically based on real time data, instantaneous communication, integration and coordinated multi-modal transport and logistics system, designed to efficiently handle complex processes in an ecosystem setup.

A Supply network comprising of planes, trucks, light vehicles, motorbikes, and drones — for difficult to access locations, coordinated to perform a strategically coordinated and digitally powered COVID-19 vaccine distribution task.

Unlike the traditional, siloed and fragmented Supply Chain, the Supply Network approach given its interlinked and transparently integrated systems, will be appropriate for the efficient distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across countries and regions around the world.

3. Regionalization

Another factor or strategy that could greatly assist in the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, is regionalization.

This is where, manufacturing and logistics hubs are strategically positioned closer to the consumer, for quick response and speedy delivery among other advantages.

It is calming to note that several COVID-19 vaccine developments and trials are taking place in different locations around the world.

According to the World Health Organization’s latest reports, there are more than 160 coronavirus vaccines in development, 25 of whom are currently in human studies.

Apart from China, America and Canada, other centres currently busy with the development of COVID-19 vaccine include; Oxford University in England, Wits and Universities of Capetown in South Africa, Laboratorio Avimex in Mexico, Serum Institute and Bharat biotech in India, just to name but a few.

It is interesting that the geographical spread of these research centers speak directly to the regionalization supply strategy.

As expected, the more various vaccines get approved for public consumption, in several regions and locations, the higher the chance for mass production which could in turn drive production cost down, and therefore make the vaccine more affordable to the wider global community.

It is also important that development sites, distribution and logistics hubs for the COVID-19 vaccines, are well planned and strategically placed.

Center of Gravity technique, would in this case assist Regionalization in determining where and how to geographical position these distribution hubs, for enhanced efficiency, speed and cost-effectiveness.

4. Infrastructure and Technology

It will be a challenge for COVID-19 vaccines to urgently reach all corners of the globe, unless reliable transportation infrastructure is in place.

Joint efforts between relevant stakeholders on infrastructure development will need to be carried out. Funds will have to be raised and resources directed towards ensuring efficiency in the global delivery of the vaccines, for the health benefit of all.

Accompanying technology will need to be in place, if Supply network systems are to function as efficiently as they should.

A Supply network system supported by an infrastructure capable of handling the distribution of huge quantities of COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

A technology enabled infrastructure that would not only accommodate various modes of transport, logistics and border control processes, but automatic and temperature controlled machinery, manned by staff with knowledge on how to handle time and temperature sensitive products.

The type of infrastructure which will optimize agility in response to any changes in demand or supply on the ground, through; smart routing and tracing capabilities based on real-time data and process visibility aided by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technology.

This is the type of infrastructure and technology that will help developers and distributors of COVID-19 vaccine among others partners along the Supply network, to analyze current global demand and pre-determine or project future requirements for the vaccine.

5. Leadership

Pulling off an undertaking of this global magnitude, will require teams of skilled personnel under the guidance of an equally skilled and capable leadership.

The quality of leadership driving this process will determine success or failure in the development, distribution and administration (actual vaccination) of COVID-19 vaccine-shots across the globe.

These leaders will need special skills, qualities and capabilities to effectively engage, strategically coordinate and passionately guide their teams towards successful delivery of these life saving vaccines.

These leadership skills and qualities will include:

● Lateral thinking leaders capable of looking at a challenge from different angles, engaging and providing an all encompassing solution.

● Systems thinking leaders that will be able to holistically look at the entire Supply network system, competently analyzing its constituent parts, understand how the interlinked parts reinforce each other and provide an effective way for these parts to function as a coherent unit, in the development and steady distribution of adequate COVID-19 vaccines to all corners of the globe.

● Compassionate leadership style across the network, to ensure for instance that; transportation companies, carriers and other 3rd party logistics providers, understand the impatience and desperation for COVID-19 vaccine on the ground, rather than ruthlessly take advantage of the distressed situation for unreasonable spike in freight and other related charges.

Conclusion

The world cannot afford to witness another scramble for COVID-19 related medical supplies, as it was the case with the PPEs.

Because the PPE disaster we witnessed, would pale in comparison if global distribution of these desperately needed vaccines was not carefully planned and collaboratively executed.

A global pandemic is not the moment for profit maximisation, protectionism or greed.

It is the time for full collaboration, cooperation, engagement and joint efforts in ensuring that enough vaccines are developed to adequately go around.

Seeking for solutions to a global public health crisis like COVID-19 pandemic, calls for processes and systems integration from vaccine development, through testing and clinical trials, all the way to distribution and administration.

Given the delicate and fragile nature of the Coronavirus vaccine, instantaneous Data sharing systems will be required to assist Supply network partners with information on packaging, handling and temperature monitoring processes — especially during the transit leg of the distribution phase — so as to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines arrive at different locations in good order and condition.

Developing and approving a vaccine normally takes years. But given the dire straits on the ground, the process has been compressed to only a few months.

This should emphasize the urgency required for all global Supply Network partners to put their cards in order.

Making sure that all related, facilities, transportation and logistics processes are prepared, ready and up to the task — in time, before the vaccine distribution phase kicks in.

Considering how humiliating PPE Supply Chain was, the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines will be a dire test for the industry.

In all, I am confident, that using a more integrated Supply Network approach, the global supply chain industry will redeem itself this time around.