In response to the growing demand for air cargo services during the spread of Covid-19, Ethiopian Airlines has been deploying its cargo capacity to facilitate the flow of essential cargo such as medical supplies.
The Pharma Wing of Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services, which is housed within what the airline says is the largest trans-shipment terminal in Africa, has been central to the airline’s effective handling and shipping of medical supplies across Africa and beyond.
The building is equipped with temperature-controlled pharma handling storage covering an area of 54,000 sq m and is suitable for handling medical supplies in different temperature ranges, enabled by the use of active containers and a real-time temperature monitoring system. Trained staff stationed at the facility ensure that all operations are carried out in line with the rules and regulations of IATA and other regulatory bodies throughout the supply chain.
Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam commented, “Ethiopian Airlines has been a key enabler in the global effort to conquer Covid-19 by facilitating the shipment of life-saving medical supplies to different parts of the world. We feel privileged to serve the world in this difficult time deploying our state-of-the-art Pharma Wing as well as our cargo and passenger fleet. Now that Addis Ababa is designated as Humanitarian Air Hub by WFP and WHO owing to our advanced facilities, and vast network of 127 international destinations and fleet, we will further bolster our efforts as the leading air cargo service provider in Africa.”
Currently, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services is transporting an average 1.4 million kg of temperature-sensitive healthcare products monthly, including medicines, biologicals, bio-technologies, diagnostics, vaccines and medical devices among other items.
Various UN Agencies, donor governments and philanthropists are using Addis Ababa as a hub to distribute medical supplies across Africa as part of the global effort to contain Covid-19.
