Costa Rica’s designated operator is diversifying its services offering, having launched a successful new pilot project in 2024 to deliver medicines in partnership with leading pharmaceutical providers in the country.
The pilot project served 12 private pharmacies in eight districts in the country’s northern region, with the postal operator delivering between 40 and 70 shipments per day over two months. The post’s main contract was with Farmanova Intermed Group, a company made up of 13 companies dedicated to the development, marketing, and distribution of health products.
The move is part of Correos de Costa Rica’s plan to further expand its commercial portfolio.
According to the post, between May, when the service was launched, and November over 10,000 shipments were successfully delivered.
In order to achieve success, the project required a transformation of the operator’s delivery fleet and operating processes.
“The first step was to adapt our fleet to the service requirements, based on the conditions that suppliers recommend for the transport of medicines in the cold chain,” says Correos de Costa Rica spokesperson, Carla González Barboza. “Subsequently, we hired personnel who were trained exclusively to handle this project and who have provided a high-quality service to companies,” she adds.
The post adjusted its fleet to ensure that the temperature of the driver’s cabin and cargo area could be adjusted independently to maintain the integrity of the products. A new system of temperature sensors on the cargo area – cooled to between 19°C and 21°C – as well as individual items packed with ice to maintain cooler temperatures collected and stored temperature data during shipment as proof of compliance with storage requirements.
Postal staff also required specialized training in order to handle the new class of products according to strict protocols.
Given the projects success, Baboza explains that the post has plans to expand to serve customers in other areas.
“The work with Farmanova has been very successful, and plans are to expand it to more routes around the country. We currently cover the San Carlos route and hope to soon introduce the service in the province of Cartago,” she says.
On advice for other postal operators, Barboza highlights the importance of understanding the requirements of handling new types of items.
“It is essential to investigate the client's needs to adapt the logistics plan assertively, in addition to having clarity on the health requirements and protocols for the management of medications and the cold chain.”
This article first appeared in Union Postale Autumn/Winter 2024.