Evaluating the Effectiveness of Third-Party Logistics (3PL) in Enhancing Last-Mile Essential Medicine Distribution in Zambia’s Public Health Supply Chain. A Case of Zambia Medicines and Medical Supply Agency (ZAMMSA).

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of third-party logistics (3PL) in enhancing last-mile delivery of essential medicines within Zambia’s public health supply chain. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 109 respondents across ZAMMSA, 3PL providers, and high-volume health facilities. The analysis focused on key performance areas including delivery timeliness, accuracy, fleet condition, communication, responsiveness, and the perceived impact on medicine availability and patient outcomes. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to identify significant relationships between operational and perceptual variables. The findings reveal that 3PL integration has led to notable improvements in medicine availability, emergency delivery success, and overall satisfaction with logistics services. Strong associations were observed between satisfaction, communication, and responsiveness, as well as between fleet condition and medicine availability. The study concludes that 3PL services play a critical role in strengthening healthcare logistics and offers practical recommendations for enhancing performance, including investment in infrastructure, performance-based contracting, and datadriven decision-making. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed