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PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Drugs Outcomes Research and Policies
Volume 16 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1531141
This article is part of the Research Topic Digital Health Innovations in Africa: Harnessing AI, Telemedicine, and Personalized Medicine for Improved Healthcare View all 3 articles
Leveraging AI to Optimize Vaccines Supply Chain and Logistics in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges
Provisionally accepted
Sulaiman Muhammad Musa 1*
USMAN ABUBAKAR HARUNA 2
Lukman Jibril Aliyu 3
Mubarak Zubairu 4
Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III 5,6,7- 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital Shika - Zaria, Zaria, Nigeria
- 2 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
- 3 Zipline, Kaduna, Nigeria
- 4 UNICEF Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria
- 5 London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, London, United Kingdom
- 6 Office for Research, Innovation and Extension Services, Southern Leyte State University, Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines, Lyte, Philippines
- 7 Center for University Research, University of Makati, Makati, Philippines
Examining the current situation of the vaccine supply chain in Africa, the article highlights the importance of AI technologies while outlining the prospects and problems in vaccine supply chain management in Africa. Despite the significance of vaccinations, many African children are unable to receive them due to logistical challenges and a lack of infrastructure. AI has the potential to increase productivity by streamlining logistics and inventory management, but it is hampered by issues with data privacy and technology infrastructure. This perspective offers ways for utilizing AI to enhance vaccine supply chains in Africa, citing successful experiences in Nigeria, Malawi, Rwanda, and Ghana as examples of AI's advantages. In order to improve healthcare outcomes and immunization coverage in Africa, cooperation among stakeholders is stressed.
Keywords: Artificial intellingence, Africa, Vaccines Distribution, supply chain management, Optimazation
Received: 19 Nov 2024; Accepted: 20 Jan 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Musa, HARUNA, Aliyu, Zubairu and Lucero-Prisno III. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Sulaiman Muhammad Musa, Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital Shika - Zaria, Zaria, Nigeria
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.