Behind the scenes at a humanitarian warehouse

Freight Operator Hussein Choker explains five ways he and his team save lives in an emergency...

1 | We act fast

When Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) launches an emergency response and the team in the crisis zone places an order, our warehouse team starts working immediately.

In 24 hours, we can have 30 tonnes of medical supplies and equipment ready for travel and loaded on a full charter plane to the final destination. 

MSF Supply is a 16,500 sqm warehouse in Belgium. It is a customs warehouse which means we can receive and store goods without being subject to customs duties until it’s delivered to one of our projects around the world. This makes us even more flexible and saves us time at the Belgian border.

2 | We work together  

The warehouse team is made up of 35 people working in different zones and departments.

The project on the ground passes their order through a system. Our teams then pick the order, pack the order, and prepare it to be transported in the freight preparation zone. It is then loaded onto a crate and transported to its destination. 

3 | We use modular kits

The basic functioning of MSF logistics is based on kits; a series of products which are grouped together. Different kits are designed for different crises, such as conflict or a disease outbreak.

For example, RISK kit is a rapid intervention surgical kit, specifically designed to be transported in hand luggage. Anyone being sent to a project from another country – such as doctors, nurses or logisticians – can take it with them.  

This kit contains essential medical equipment and tools for blood sampling, measuring blood pressure, and bracing for the neck. There are no dangerous goods which would stop it being suitable for hand luggage.

Speed is highly important because MSF is an emergency organisation. Here's my colleague Frans explaining more:

4 | We keep medicine cold

MSF Supply is a pharmaceutical, temperature-controlled warehouse with special rooms and packaging for storing medicines on the move, such as vaccines.

What is the 'cold chain'?

Dangerous products are packed and labelled in special boxes. This might be anything containing lithium batteries like phones, laptops, and scanning equipment. Or anything that’s risky in high quantities like chlorine used for disinfection. 

5 | We keep costs down  

While emergency orders often need to be sent by air for maximum speed, regular orders from MSF projects can be sent by sea.  

This can take around 8-9 weeks but it means that we keep costs down on the less urgent, regular orders so we can maximise time efficiency for breaking emergencies.

As a financially independent organisation we use our funds carefully to make the most of every pound donated.