DPDHL Group Supports UNICEF in the COVAX Vaccination Initiative

Deutsche Post DHL Group sends employees to provide logistical support for UNICEF’s COVAX initiative. DPDHL signed the World Economic Forum’s charter to promote the COVAX vaccination program. A total of three logistics experts have been delegated to take on various tasks in the UNICEF Supply Division. The collaboration facilitates the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

(Bonn) Deutsche Post DHL Group assigns employees to support UNICEF as a leading partner in the distribution of vaccines under the COVAX initiative. Three logistics experts have been tasked with taking on various responsibilities in the UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen and in a regional supply hub in Dubai. These tasks range from analyzing logistics data to handling incoming shipments and distributing aid supplies, as well as assisting in the coordination of air freight shipments with vaccines.

UNICEF is at the forefront of delivering COVID-19 vaccines as part of the COVAX initiative. The program advocates for the accelerated development and manufacturing of vaccines, as well as equitable global access to the vaccines. COVAX is the vaccine pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) cooperation platform, co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the global vaccine alliance GAVI, and the World Health Organization (WHO). UNICEF serves as a key partner in the delivery of the vaccines.

Support Also Benefits Children

“We are proud to support UNICEF in this central task with our expertise in life sciences & healthcare logistics. We contribute to accelerating the distribution of vaccines and getting the pandemic under control faster. Our support also benefits children, especially those already living in poverty and exposed to health risks,” says Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer at DHL. “As logistics experts, our employees understand the challenges and know what needs to be done. It is our responsibility to help.”

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have had dramatic effects on the physical and mental health of children around the world. The pandemic can undo years of progress in combating child poverty, deny children vital health services, and push families into financial distress. For this reason, in December 2020, the World Economic Forum (WEF), UNICEF, and initially 18 companies—including Deutsche Post DHL Group—signed a charter to support COVAX measures and their implementation. The charter promotes collaboration among various stakeholders with the goal of ensuring a safe and sustainable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Transparency and Traceability

“I see it as a great opportunity to be involved in such a significant, historic project,” says Malene Klokkerholm Moller, Logistics Data Analyst. “My task is to support supply chain management and logistics processes in the UNICEF Supply Division using data analysis. This enables improved transparency and traceability in the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, control of delivery forecasts, and analyses for optimizing transport planning. With the help of these analyses, logistical processes can be planned more effectively, and delivery times for vaccines can be shortened.”

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the demand for medical supplies has surged enormously. Last year alone, UNICEF shipped 246 million pairs of disposable gloves, 273 million masks, and over 20 million FFP2 respirators. The supply of medical supplies from distant production sources for use in local clinics and practices was one of the central challenges in managing the pandemic, especially in the initial phase of the health emergency. In the current phase, the focus of pandemic control is on the approval and equitable distribution of vaccines.

Building Medical Supply Chains

Logistics providers worldwide face the challenge of quickly establishing efficient medical supply chains to deliver more than ten billion vaccine doses (including two billion doses for COVAX) globally, reaching the approximately three billion people living in regions with less developed logistics infrastructure. To ensure global supply of COVID-19 vaccines over the next two years, around 200,000 pallet deliveries, 15 million deliveries in cool boxes, and 15,000 flights across various supply chains will be required.

Regardless of COVAX, Deutsche Post DHL Group plays a significant role in the storage and transportation of vaccines through its logistics services, already taking a crucial role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. By seconding employees to UNICEF and in cooperation with other partners and stakeholders, Deutsche Post DHL Group is committed to achieving the goals of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A)—namely, to promote the development and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics to ensure equal access for every country in the world.

9,000 Employees in Pharmaceutical Logistics

More than 9,000 experts work in DHL’s specialized global network to connect pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, clinical testing and research institutions, distribution companies, as well as hospitals and healthcare providers through digitalization along the entire value chain. The DHL portfolio for this sector includes more than 150 pharmaceutical companies, 20 depots for clinical trials, 100 certified stations, 160 GDP-certified warehouses, 15 GMP-certified locations, 135 medical express locations, and an international express network for timely delivery in 220 countries and territories.

Photo: © DPDHL