Global supply chains provide people all around the world with access to medication. Be it to regulate a lifelong condition or to help with a seasonal illness, the effective distribution of medicines is of great importance. Aramex operates within this market where products are essential to life and must retain constantly available.
With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, such logistical operations have been under threat. Many suppliers have been forced to reassess the stability of their processes. At Aramex, we’ve been working day-in, day-out to ensure operations have remained successful and our supply chains stable.
A challenging period for manufacturers
As the pandemic turned into a global phenomenon, so too did shortages of medical products. It was widely acknowledged in the UK that demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) far outweighed supply across the health and social care sectors. Though a significant one, it wasn’t the only shortage we experienced.
Both products relating and unrelating to Covid-19 saw dips in production thanks to worldwide halts in manufacturing. Supply chains are complex in nature; when even the smallest of cogs stalls, the effects ripple through the whole operation, often with great consequence. There were shortages in testing supplies, daily healthcare products, and general pharmaceuticals, among many more. Though shortages of many over-the-counter products don’t necessarily threaten life, they still contribute to it in some form. So, we deem them essential. And without them, we are in trouble.
Risks to patient care
Scarcities in medical products means that patients have increased risk of not receiving the necessary care they need. According to the BMJ Quality & Safety Journal, the Covid-19 pandemic has ‘highlighted more than ever that these systematic risks can no longer be ignored’. It goes on to state that effects have been felt among ‘clinical practice, organisational performance, and patient outcomes’. As a leading supplier of life sciences transportation solutions, our role is clear. We must ensure the vulnerabilities in the medical supply chains we service are quashed, immediately.
Aramex has acquired and partnered with a variety of logistics companies that specialise in the movement of medical and pharma consignments. Such items are often temperature, time, and humidity sensitive, and any breaks to these specific climates can be incredibly compromising. Products may be less effective or may become totally defunct. Not only is this a huge loss in terms of cost and reputation across the whole operation, but it’s a forced expense to patients, too. It’s especially crucial to ensure unrelenting provision of medication, products, and materials used in treatments for those whose lives depend on it.
Working to overcome vulnerability
A proportion of the UK public were deemed as ‘vulnerable’ during the pandemic due to pre-existing health conditions or lifestyle factors, like age. Though they were encouraged to ‘shield’ themselves to avoid catching Covid-19, they still required access to their medications. And so, the importance of last-mile delivery that was both unwavering and effective in nature, was highlighted.
Whilst today, most members of society are encouraged to lead ‘normal’ lives (with sensible precautions), many prefer to have goods delivered to home, rather than collecting in-store. That’s not just those that were deemed ‘vulnerable’; the pandemic has reshaped consumer behaviour and comfortabilities. Aramex prides itself on partnering with logistics organisations that have strong local networks. This aids efficient last-mile deliveries that are both reliable and robust in order to keep up with the service’s rising demand.
Track and trace
Moving medicines and pharma-products in controlled environments demands assurance. From manufacturer to consumer, it’s important to have access to transparent information about the status of products, especially where supply chain operations have been delayed or stalled. In combination with meeting regulatory standards, adhering to legislation, and passing ample compliance checks, we take assertiveness one step further.
If Covid-19 taught the logistics sector anything, it was the importance of digitalising a supply chain. The ability to access real-time information about the status of product movements is a crucial factor in determining any delays, interferences, or glitches. With Roam B tracking devices, we can trace such occurrences past container or transportation level to individual products, promoting safety and compliance.
Disruptions within supply chains can have detrimental effects on the medical profession. As we emerge from a global pandemic, it’s never been more significant to ensure materials, products, and medicines are transported their correct destinations in a timely, reliable manner. This curve is one that Aramex is proud to stay one step ahead of. Contact Us to learn more.
