كنفرانس بين المللی مهندسی صنايع و سيستم ها

صفحه اصلی / دوازدهمین كنفرانس بين المللی مهندسی صنايع و سيستم ها

Identifying Challenges of the Humanitarian Pharmaceutical Supply Chain in Earthquake Conditions for Vulnerable Groups

نویسندگان :

Melika Khosroabadi¹ َAli Mohaghar²

1- دانشگاه تهران - دانشکدگان مدیریت - دانشکده مدیریت صنعتی و فناوری 2- دانشگاه تهران - دانشکدگان مدیریت - دانشکده مدیریت صنعتی و فناوری

کلمات کلیدی :

Humanitarian Supply Chain،Earthquake Disaster Management،Pharmaceutical Supply،Vulnerable Groups،Operational Challenges،Tehran

چکیده :

Earthquakes, as one of the most destructive natural hazards, impose severe human and economic losses on societies each year. Due to its geographical location on the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt, Iran is consistently ranked among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Tehran, characterized by its substantial floating and resident population, multiple active fault lines, and concentration of strategic facilities, functions as a critical node within the national emergency response network. The timely and equitable provision and distribution of pharmaceutical supplies for vulnerable groups-including the elderly, patients with chronic diseases, children, and pregnant women-face numerous challenges. Despite the growing body of literature on disaster management and humanitarian logistics, no comprehensive study has systematically identified and categorized the specific challenges of the pharmaceutical supply chain during earthquake disasters with a focus on the distinct needs of vulnerable sub-groups. The present study aims to identify and classify the key challenges of the humanitarian pharmaceutical supply chain under earthquake conditions. Employing a systematic review and qualitative content analysis, this study examines 36 high-quality peer-reviewed articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (published between 2020 and 2026). The findings reveal seven main clusters of challenges: (1) weaknesses in disaster management structure and inter-organizational coordination; (2) infrastructure and physical destruction challenges; (3) information management and demand forecasting; (4) resource constraints and inventory management; (5) socio-cultural challenges associated with vulnerable groups; (6) financial and economic constraints; and (7) legal, regulatory, and planning challenges. This comprehensive framework provides an operational roadmap for policymakers, crisis managers, and responsible organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society and the Ministry of Health to enhance the resilience of the pharmaceutical supply chain against natural disasters by accurately identifying system vulnerabilities.