Managing supply chain aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic in India

Abstract

Technological interventions in times of crises, such as for the COVID-19 pandemic in India, require attention to supply chain aspects for effective delivery of goods and services, especially in critical care. Especially in the initial stages, such delivery is complicated by potential shortages of emergency supplies, which arise due to several reasons. First, suddenly overwhelmed hospitals and local authorities are not equipped to effectively forecast surges in demand., Manufacturing capacities are often constrained by limited availability of raw material in the absence of adequate advance planning. Logistics options for goods movement are significantly reduced. All this is compounded by the shortage of manpower to service production and logistics during extreme lockdown scenarios. A structured approach is shown to deliver tangible benefits and overcome key challenges.