Humanitarian Logistics

 

Humanitarian logistics is characterised as the planning, implementation and control process for the efficient , cost-effective flow and storage of goods and materials, as well as related details, from the point of origin to the point of consumption, in order to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable people.

The logistics division that specializes in coordinating and providing humanitarian assistance to people impacted by natural disasters or emergencies. Humanitarian logistics play an important role in an increasingly unpredictable world where disasters, both man-made and natural, are on the rise.

Simply put, the business of collecting and distributing food , water, medication, and other critical relief supplies and services to those impacted by natural calamities or major crises is humanitarian logistics.

It is projected that nearly 132 million people in 2019 will need humanitarian aid. Funding requirements are likely to exceed approximately US$ 22 billion to address the most urgent needs of more than 93 million people in crisis situations.

In order to provide skilled logistics services to the industry, workers with numerous high-profile agencies, international humanitarian agencies , non-governmental organisations and suppliers are partnering. Given the time-critical and sometimes unpredictable nature of circumstances, handling humanitarian logistics is difficult.

 Humanitarian logistics includes a range of operations, including procurement, shipping, monitoring and tracing, customs clearance, local transport, warehousing and distribution of the last mile First, it acts as a bridge between disaster preparedness and response, between procurement and delivery, and between headquarters and the field. Second, for major humanitarian initiatives, such as health, food , shelter, water and sanitation, it is essential for the effectiveness and pace of response. It may be one of the most costly portions of a relief effort. Third, because the logistics department manages the supply chain monitoring of products, it is also the data archive that can be evaluated to provide post-event learning. 

Logistics data represents all facets of execution, ranging from the quality of suppliers and transport providers, to the cost and timeliness of response, to the appropriateness of the products donated and knowledge management. Therefore, it is crucial for the success of both current and future initiatives and programmes.

The primary mechanism by which governments channel as much as $6 billion in annual assistance is humanitarian organisations, whose missions concentrate on reducing loss of life and alleviating suffering. Contributions from foundations, companies, and the private sector are complementary to government contributions to humanitarian organisations. The humanitarian organisations that receive contributions from this global community include organisations working under the umbrella of the United Nations, such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR), international organisations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), global NGOs such as CARE and World View, and regional and country-specific NGOs

But with the emergence of new technology, the face of humanitarian logistics is evolving. Industry players are looking at drones in particular, which can be used to provide a clear image of disaster zones or provide victims with lightweight aid relief products.