Vaccine distribution problem: a case study

Vaccine logistics has become, because of the pandemic, one of the most important topics discussed in the healthcare sector. The interest in the logistic aspects of vaccine distribution should not be a priority only in emergencies: having an efficient and strong vaccine supply chain for the distribution and administration of traditional vaccines can be an important base for the development of a national distribution pathway in emergency circumstances. This paper presents a case study regarding the influenza vaccine supply chain in the district of Bergamo. In Italy, flu vaccination is offered, among others, to individuals suffering from diseases that could increase complications risks. They receive vaccines in hubs to which are assigned based on the proximity to their municipality of residence. Incorrect choices in the location of centres can lead to difficult access to vaccinations for this type of vulnerable patient and could translate into a bad service level for the citizens. The aim of the case study is the identification, through facility location problem algorithms, of the optimal location of the vaccinal centres and the development, through the application of vehicle routing problem algorithms, of the optimal transport route for vaccine doses from the central warehouses to the hubs. Even if such topics are quite common in the managerial literature, the originality of this work is related to the practical application of well-established models to a real-world case.