Entropy in the ‘entrepot’: Examining the challenges of relief supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic relief item distribution operation-2020 in Uganda

Background: Distribution and management of relief supplies during hard times is seen as one of the key roles among governments in developing economies. Management of relief supply chains during a pandemic could be an uphill task that calls for an investigation. The present study focuses on the relief aid distribution of food items and face-masks during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda. It specifically examines the challenges faced by the relief supply chain. Methods: It was a case study of stakeholders involved in relief distribution and conducted through electronic and physical interviews. 20 electronic interviews were conducted through zoom and telephone calls while 20 physical interviews were conducted at the interviewees’ respective workplaces. Data were collected from January 2021 to March 2021. The method of data collection and analysis was qualitative. Data were thematically analyzed using Atlas ti. v7.57. Results: It was found that many challenges ranging from needs identification, procurement, warehousing, transportation, handling, beneficiary verification, and distribution inhibited the proper functioning of the relief items distribution supply chain. Other obstacles were the media and its increasing influence on supply activities. Also, politics coupled with the emergence of new actors and governance issues were identified as part of the study findings. Conclusions: The present study identified a number of challenges in relief aid distribution. Some of the challenges were internal to the relief supply chain, others were beyond the chain. The findings could inform leverage of a number of factors during relief item distribution in the next cycles.