Location-Allocation Model to Improve the Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine Centers in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jul 19;19(14):8755. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19148755.

Abstract

The correct distribution of service facilities can help keep fixed and overhead costs low while increasing accessibility. When an appropriate location is chosen, public-sector facilities, such as COVID-19 centers, can save lives faster and provide high-quality service to the community at a low cost. The purpose of the research is to highlight the issues related to the location of COVID-19 vaccine centers in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In particular, this paper aims to analyze the accessibility of COVID-19 vaccine centers in Jeddah city using maximal coverage location problems with and without constraint on the number and capacity of facilities. A maximal coverage model is first used to analyze the COVID-19 vaccination coverage of Jeddah districts with no restriction on the facility capacity. Then, a maximize capacitated coverage method is utilized to assess the centers' distribution and demand coverage with capacity constraints. Finally, the minimize facilities model is used to identify the most optimal location required to satisfy all demand points with the least number of facilities. The optimization approaches consider the objective function of minimizing the overall transportation time and travel distance to reduce wastage on the service rate provided to the patients. The optimization model is applied to a real-world case study in the context of the COVID-19 vaccination center in Jeddah. The results of this study provide valuable information that can help decision-makers locate and relocate COVID-19 centers more effectively under different constraints conditions.

Keywords: COVID-19; geographic information system; location-allocation; network analysis; point of dispensing; vaccine centers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Vaccines* / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Cities
  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Humans
  • Saudi Arabia

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines

Grants and funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number IFPRC-055-612-2020 and King Abdulaziz University, DSR, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.