Concerning the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic, there has been a tremendous shortage of oxygen supply in hospitals lately. Many breathless covid-19 patients have deceased because of the inaccessibility of medical oxygen in hospitals. But, can we blame oxygen exports? Let’s find out!
With the demand for oxygen skyrocketing lately with the rapid covid surge, uneven distribution can be blamed for the present situation. With health care workers trying to make ends meet and people in pain because of oxygen shortage, the nation fears that a massive tragedy might happen because of oxygen shortage. Luckily, blockchain technology can help. But before with their deeper into the solutions, let us understand the hurdles first.
Challenges
Countries do not possess sufficient cryogenic tankers to assure non-stop road transport of medical oxygen. Presently, when oxygen happens to be transported from one place to another, the travel time requires from the manufacturer’s end to the bed of the patient has enhanced from 5 days to 8 days approximately.
The issue lies in the fact that the supply of oxygen is available in such places that happen to be pretty far away from the source of demand. Medical suppliers are attempting to discover a way to transport the same as critical cases keep increasing daily. Apart from that, there is a shortage of cylinders, tankers and logistical issues prevail in the oxygen supply as well.
The less popular the hospital or further remote the location of the hospital, the longer the time duration required for oxygen to reach. Apart from that, smaller oxygen suppliers have additional complaints that they do not possess sufficient dura and jumbo cylinders for keeping the flow of oxygen steady. Furthermore, the increase in expenses for logistics and transport has also enhanced the price of refilling oxygen cylinders.
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Blockchain in Oxygen Supply Chain: The Way Forward
With healthcare professionals experiencing the impact of faulty supply chains disrupted by numerous challenges, various small and large businesses from outside the conventional health procurement system happen to be configuring the mass production of oxygen and other emergency supplies.
Blockchain-based solutions can help battle medical supply chain shortages because of the covid-19 pandemic. Blockchain networks can complement the traditional supply chain networks, thereby helping to fight the present medical situation. A blockchain-based supply chain recording can start at the manufacturer, go through updates by mediators, and finally be verified by the buyer.
Blockchain can help build emergency inventory availability and supplier onboarding, thereby minimizing the challenges in the transportation of medical oxygen in the present situation. A blockchain network can help healthcare organizations and government agencies identify new non-traditional suppliers who have pivoted for addressing the shortage of oxygen supplies and devices required for covid-19 relief endeavors.
Utilizing blockchain technology in the medical supply chain can facilitate the identification of proper locations of oxygen. Apart from that, batch reminders can be carried out quickly and efficiently, thereby maintaining and advancing the safety and health of the patient.
Also Read: Blockchain’s Utility in Streamlining the COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Chain
Final Thoughts
To conclude, it is high time governments should adopt the application of blockchain in medical sciences to realize that all that matters is the health, safety, and lives of the people. The broad implementation of blockchain in the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem will demand a tipping point of adoption and trust among stakeholders, incorporating patients as well.
As far as experimentation is concerned, partnering with various stakeholders on pilot usages of innovative architecture could highlight a way to divide the cost of experimentation and a procedure to model the multi-party commitments that full-scale implementations will incorporate. An innovative architecture that helps in connecting everyone needs to have broad acceptance before it actually connects everyone.
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