Gearing up to meet the anticipated surge in movement of Covid vaccines from Hyderabad, a major hub for vaccines, GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) has expanded its landside and airside facilities to meet the unique requirements for vaccine shipments and temp-controlled pharmaceuticals.
The existing Pharma Zone facility is being expanded to almost double the area and the capacities of all temperature zones--15-25 degrees, 2-8 degrees and -20 degrees Celsius, have been increased.
It has introduced a ‘Cold Super Store’ as part of the extended Pharma Zone to mitigate any temperature excursions during unloading of pharma shipments.
Since the break out of Covid pandemic last year, the Hyderabad airport is in the forefront in the fight against the pandemic.
The Hyderabad region is set to be the single largest concentration of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacities globally, with an estimated 3.6 billion doses of various makes of vaccines expected to be produced by facilities in the region over the next 18-24 months. From January 2021, GHAC has handled more than 100 tonnes of Covid vaccines that were distributed from Hyderabad to various parts of the country.
Oxygen
Lately, there has been a big surge in the movement of oxygen concentrators into Hyderabad to meet the medical demands due to the pandemic.
GHAC has constituted a special task force comprising customs authorities, airlines, freight forwarders and other stakeholders to ensure speedy clearance and handling of Covid relief material consignments.
From May 1, 2021, more than 11,500 units of oxygen concentrators have been brought into Hyderabad from across the globe and from other cities in India. The shipments have arrived on both scheduled flights as well as special charters as nations, governments, airlines, airports, customs, freight forwarders, ground handlers and all stakeholder joined together to rush the much needed equipment into India.
Apart from oxygen concentrators, GHAC handled two shipments of Sputnik V vaccines from Russia, which require specialised handling and procedures to maintain temperature integrity (-20 deg. C).
It has been continuously handling Covid relief materials coming thorugh freighters carrying vaccines, medical equipment and Covid relief material such as PPE kits, masks and sanitizers.