COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS IN THE CONTEXT OF COMBINED RISKS: MILITARY CONFLICT AND THE THREAT OF ZOONOSIS INFECTIONS

Abstract

The article examines the problems of cold chain management in humanitarian logistics in the context of the military conflict in Iran. The paper emphasizes the increasing risks of destruction of critical infrastructure, limited access to medical services, and high uncertainty in demand for resources. The paper also examines modern challenges associated with military conflicts, in particular, the potential consequences of a protracted war for the health care system and the spread of infectious and zoonotic diseases. It is substantiated that humanitarian logistics is a key element of the system for providing assistance to the affected population, as it covers the processes of resource mobilization, organization of supply, coordination of actions of participants, and ensuring access to vital goods and services. A significant part of the study is devoted to the problems of organizing the cold chain of vaccine supply as one of the most complex components of humanitarian logistics. The requirements for the temperature regime, the risks of its violation, and the consequences for the effectiveness and safety of immunization are disclosed. The causes of failures in cold chains are analyzed, including infrastructure limitations, insufficient training of personnel, lack of coordination and information gaps. Examples of negative consequences of temperature regime violations are given, leading to the loss of vaccines and a threat to the lives of the population. Such an analysis can provide theoretical and practical tools for building an optimal model of the cold chain in crisis conditions. It is summarized that the effective functioning of humanitarian logistics requires an integrated approach, interdisciplinary interaction, namely the creation of teams not only of logisticians, but also epidemiologists, lawyers, political scientists and representatives of local authorities and systemic planning, including preparation for crisis situations, risk management and the introduction of innovative technologies. It is also proven that increasing the efficiency of logistics processes is critically important for minimizing human losses, ensuring the sustainability of health systems and preventing large-scale epidemics in crisis regions.