Read more about PFSCM’s first cold chain delivery containing a Parsyl data logger
The Partnership for Supply Chain Management (PFSCM) is excited to announce that we have partnered with insurtech company Parsyl to deploy data loggers in all our cold chain and temperature controlled shipments.
PFSCM ships lifesaving, temperature sensitive cargo such as the viral load diagnostics, early infant diagnostics, rapid diagnostic tests, and other laboratory and diagnostic products for the detection, prevention and treatment of COVID-19, HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis among other diseases.
Data loggers, or sensing devices monitor and capture valuable information about the temperature and humidity commodities are exposed to during transportation and storage. This information can be used to better understand shipping conditions, and more effectively manage risk should any irregularities occur.
Data captured by these devices also play a critical role in increasing accountability among stakeholders, planning for future shipments, reducing waste, ensuring product integrity is maintained during shipping, and improving the overall efficiency of insurance claims.
PFSCM 4PL Services Director Ishmael Muchemenyi explains that data visibility is key in improving supply chain management to ultimately ensure better health outcomes.
“The well known management saying ‘you can’t manage what you can’t measure’, is highly applicable to our business. We measure an abundance of metrics to gauge both our own performance and that of our vendors; bolstering our cold chain monitoring capabilities will provide us with even richer data insights that we can use to streamline our own operations and that of clients, and vendors,” explains Muchemenyi.
Further, Muchemenyi adds that PFSCM has always used data loggers in its temperature controlled shipments, but changed to Parsyl’s offering in January 2021, after evaluating the organization’s distinctive combined offering of technology, data and cargo insurance.
“Parsyl has unique experience in global health, and understands the complexities involved in the distribution of time- and temperature sensitive health products to the developing world.
“Apart from their background, we found Parsyl’s data management offering to be a key differentiator. When it comes to data loggers, the accessibility of the data can oftentimes be a challenge. We found Parsyl’s platforms to be reliable, user-friendly, and easy to integrate,” noted Muchemenyi.
In addition, PFSCM is also making use of Parsyl’s cargo insurance offering through the Global Health Risk Facility (GHRF), a public-private syndicate formed by an alliance of insurance and technology partners to strengthen supply chains and prepare countries for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and other critical diagnostics, treatments and supplies.
In January 2021, PFSCM became the first GHRF policy holder, and according to PFSCM Chief Quality and Risk Officer Michael Harrigan, this demonstrates PFSCM’s agility in seizing opportunities to partner with dynamic organizations that share PFSCM’s mission of delivering high-quality health products to underserved populations.
“We ship high risk products to hard to reach destinations, and despite the utmost planning, there is the possibility that something could go wrong. We needed an insurer who not only grasps the risks associated with distribution in the developing world, but also develops solutions to help overcome the risks and challenges.
“Through Parsyl’s GHRF we have access to technology, data, cargo insurance and risk management services that support end-to-end visibility, and data-driven decision making for improved supply chain management,” concludes Harrigan.
Parsyl’s sensing devices turn that data into insights, revealing when and how environmental conditions impact temperature sensitive products in storage or transit, from source to final destination
First cold chain shipment containing Parsyl data logger delivered in April 2021
PFSCM is excited to share that our first cold chain shipment containing Parsyl temperature data loggers was delivered at the start of April to Mozambique.
The shipment, which was delivered by one of PFSCM’s long-standing 3PL partners, Maersk, contained reagents, and in vitro diagnostic products used in the detection of diseases like COVID-19, HIV, malaria, and TB. The data loggers recorded the shipment’s 13-hour air journey from Belgium to Johannesburg; and also the 530 km trucking from Johannesburg to Mozambique. No irregularities were recorded on any one of the 28 loggers used in the cold chain pallets.
Through the use of data loggers PFSCM is further improving supply chain visibility to better manage risks, reduce costs and wastage, and ultimately, to improve health outcomes by ensuring the integrity of health products throughout the health supply chain.
