How it Works: The Supply Chain in Disasters and Disease Outbreaks

The impact of a disaster or disease outbreak can reach catastrophic levels if patients and providers do not have access to life-saving medicines. Pandemic disease outbreaks, for example, can spike supply needs by 200 to 300% leading to acute strain on the normal supply chain. Partners along the supply chain have remarkable, innovative answers to the threats that disasters pose to supply chain operations. From hurricanes to disease outbreak to terrorism, all threats pose a risk to public health. When a disaster causes facility damage, transportation issues, power outages and related generator fuel shortages, the pharmaceutical supply chain is threatened. Private companies, nonprofits, and the government collaborate in the wake of disasters to protect and stabilize the healthcare supply chain. Their goal is to ensure that healthcare is able to continuously provide patients and providers with the products on which they depend.

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