Blue Dart Express has operated its Boeing 757-200 freighter cross border on the Kolkata – Guangzhou, China – Guwahati – Kolkata route to bring critical PPE and COVID-19 related medical supplies. Ketan Kulkarni, CMO & Head – Business Development talks about Blue Dart’s fight against pandemic.
CT Bureau
How Blue Dart is ensuring medical supplies to India to fight against COVID-19 pandemic?
There are several components and ingredients that are coming from different places, whether it’s a drug, medical equipment or PPE. To ensure continuity of the global supply chain and help our nation and companies to adapt their operations during this critical health crisis, Blue Dart is flying Boeing 757-200 freighters round-the-clock to carry medical and other vital supplies in these difficult times and is firmly committed and honoured to be a part of the ‘Lifeline Udan’ initiative. Since the lockdown began, we have operated numerous cargo flights transporting more than thousands of tonnes of medical supplies, medicines, medical devices and other essential items for various state governments, medical and pharma companies.
What is your strategy to achieve this goal?
We are working on a two-pronged strategy to prepare the logistics infrastructure for being future ready and ensure both lines operate smoothly; essential supplies to fight COVID-19 and all other non-essential supplies in the pipeline post the lockdown exit. In addition to this, we are providing support with daily shipments across India for requisitioned items by state governments, municipalities, hospitals and research centres during this challenging period. Some of these include special food for paralytic children; medicines for senior citizens residing in another town sent by their children; important and confidential papers for legal agreements; masks for cancer affected children as well as healthcare staff; temperature controlled medicines that need to be maintained at a specific temperature in order to maintain their efficacy among others.
