CGMSCL supplies lifesaving drugs and essential consumables to over 1300 health  facilities including Primary Health Centers (PHC), Community Health Centers (CHC), District Hospitals (DH) and Medical College Hospitals from its 16 warehouses  strategically located to cover all 33 districts of the State. A total of 44 vehicles used for medicine delivery across the state have now been GPS enabled and can be monitored online.  

Mr. Nickson, Store In-charge of CHC, Berla in Bemetra informed that earlier he had  to contact the warehouse manager of Kabirdham to check when the items against his  indent would be dispatched. Now the same information is conveyed to him through mobile alert as soon as the goods leave the warehouse. He can conveniently track  the vehicle on the map without the need to contact the warehouse or the driver. He  just logs onto the recently launched application and is able to monitor the movement  of the delivery vehicle that left Kabirdham Drug warehouse. He is able to check the  number of items that will be delivered, estimate the time at which it will reach his  CHC and is able to plan and make arrangement for receiving the goods. 

Mr. Deepak Lanjhee, Assistant Manager of Drug Warehouse Kabirdham added, “Necessary steps can be taken if there is undue halt or deviation in the route of the  vehicle. Earlier one had to call up the driver to check on the location of vehicle and  the store in-charge to verify deliveries this information is now available online.” 

One of the key objectives of CGMSCL is to ensure that the right medicine is available  at the right place at the right time. In that regards CGMSCL over the years has taken  several initiatives to strengthen its supply chain primarily by augmenting the features  of its inhouse software DPDMIS (Drug Procurement and Distribution Management  Information Systems), increasing efficiency of its warehouses and by operating vehicles for medical supplies to all PHCs, CHCs, DH and Medical College Hospitals. 

Operating own vehicles ensures that CGMSCL does not have to rely on private  operators for dispatches and thus deliveries can be scheduled conveniently. The  operating cost could be controlled to a large extent. However, to check status of deliveries and location of vehicles one had to contact the driver to ascertain the same. In order to check actual kilometers, run, time taken to execute deliveries etc. the warehouse managers had to rely on the drivers. To eliminate the above issues the GPS tracking system was deployed.

CGMSCL has mandated the installation of GPS enabled devices on all its vehicles that are used for delivering medicines and medical consumables. The GPS data coupled with the DPDMIS application enables one to track and monitor any shipment from  warehouse to facilities and thus determine its exact location and estimate approximate time of delivery. It provides details of shipment and also enables management to take corrective actions in case of unnecessary delays, breakdowns, route deviations etc. 

In Chhattisgarh there are many health facilities which are located in remote hilly or forested areas and to supply medicines to them CGMSCL vehicles have to traverse harsh and difficult terrain where mobile network is very poor or absent. Earlier it was difficult to estimate delivery times to such facilities as communication with drivers  was hampered due to poor network coverage. However, with the new GPS based system the location of the delivery vehicles can be continuously tracked even when  it is moving through such areas where either mobile network is absent or its connectivity is poor and thus enabling warehouse managers and facility in-charges to estimate time of delivery easily.

The CGMSCL’s GPS based vehicle tracking system is revolutionary as it brings  transparency in the system and aids store in-charges, warehouse managers and top  management with features like: 

1. Real-Time Tracking: Receiving health facilities can track the exact location of their  delivery vehicles in real-time through CGMSCL’s user-friendly tracking interface  on the website or mobile application. 

2. Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA): The GPS tracking system provides accurate ETA estimates, allowing store in-charges to plan their schedules accordingly and be  prepared for the arrival of their packages. 

3. Proof of Delivery: GPS tracking can provide proof of delivery by recording the  exact time and location of delivery. This helps in maintaining transparency regarding delivery status. 

IAS Padmini Bhoi Sahu, MD CGMSCL commented, "The GPS tracking system  enhances the security of deliveries by providing constant monitoring and alerts for  any deviations from the planned route. By optimizing delivery routes and monitoring  vehicle performance, it helps streamline operations and faster delivery of medicines.  It enables us to analyze data and identify areas for improvement in delivery  operations. Ultimately, it helps eliminate inefficiencies, streamline our operations and optimize costs. Urgent deliveries of life saving drugs and critically stocked out  medicines can be prioritized and effectively tracked to reach at the required location  at the earliest." 

CGMSCL remains committed to providing exceptional service and ensuring the  highest standards of reliability and transparency in every aspect of its operations.

The implementation of the GPS tracking system is a testament to CGMSCL’s dedication to meeting the evolving health needs of the State and delivering excellence  in medicine logistics.

Disclaimer: The above is a contributor post, the views expressed are those of the contributor and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.