IndiaRetailBiz

DHL Life Sciences and Healthcare, a division of the world’s leading logistic services player, is likely to soon set up a supply chain infrastructure for providing logistic services to deliver drugs and related healthcare products that are sourced from foreign manufacturers to retailers in India. This, while ensuring quick supply of lifesaving products, will eliminate the need of several layers of intermediaries in the supply chain.

DHL already operates similar healthcare supply chain systems in Australia and other countries of the world. Through these services, DHL ensures that the customers receive ordered materials overnight. Time is of critical importance in delivery of healthcare products as it can make difference between life and death of a patient.

DHL also has the advantage of owning Blue Dart, an efficient and reputed courier service, having offices, warehouses, and trained staff spread all over the country.

Interestingly, Zeullig Pharma– one of the major Asian pharma distributors — which in the past had tried to set up a similar supply chain in the country was, however, unable to make much headway in the face of stiff resistance from AIOCD (All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists)– a trade body representing interests of over 500,000 chemists and druggists in India.

The situation, however, has since considerably changed as the AIOCD in the meantime appears to have lost its teeth as the trade body, despite several boycotts, has failed in stopping emergence and growth of organised modern pharma retail chains in the country. The trade body is opposed to the setting up of such chains in India.