Speaker
Description
Effective warehouse management within pharmaceutical supply chains is critical for ensuring drug availability and healthcare quality. This research establishes a contextual Lean Warehousing framework to optimize operations at the Nekemte Hub of the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS). The study addresses prominent supply chain inefficiencies, including excess inventory, frequent stockouts, operational delays, and product damage, primarily driven by sub-optimal facility layouts, inadequate process standardization, and lack of specialized workforce training. A mixed-methods research design was deployed. Primary data were gathered through structured interviews, questionnaires, and direct on-site observations involving 73 key stakeholders, including warehouse personnel, institutional customers, and logistics providers. Operational bottlenecks were analyzed using root cause analysis (5W1H) and Pareto analysis. Findings were statistically validated for reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha and prioritized via the Relative Importance Index (RII).Results: Pareto analysis revealed 22 critical inefficiencies concentrated across five core dimensions: storage infrastructure, operational standardization, human resource capacity, warehouse architectural design, and training deficiencies. To mitigate these wastes across receiving, storage, order picking, and dispatch cycles, an integrated Lean framework was developed. The study concludes that adopting Lean practices can lead to reduced lead time, improved warehouse management
Keywords: Lean Manufacturing; Warehouse Management; Pharmaceutical Supply Chain; Pareto Analysi; Value Stream Mapping
| Topic Area | Design Optimization, Additive Manufacturing Technologies & Applications |
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