Afghanistan Govt To Apply Blockchain In Health Sector

Blockchain, News | November 28, 2019 By:

The government of Afghanistan is planning to apply blockchain technology in the country’s health sector.

On Wednesday, the country’s Public Health Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with blockchain firm FantomOperations. The partnership would reportedly enable the ministry to use blockchain to identify fake medications, create medical records in the hospitals and computerize the patients’ files.

According to the World Helath Organization (WHO), more than 200,000 deaths could be caused from fake or substandard medication each year and the “fake drug” industry represents some $30 billion a year.

WHO said that no countries are unaffected by fake or sub-par medication, but the problem is more widespread in developing countries and countries with ongoing conflict, such as Afghanistan, where healthcare systems are either compromised or do not exist.

“The Ministry of Public Health is committed for the institutionalization of electronic government in the health sector and the blockchain technology would help the ministry bring transparency, acceleration and effectiveness in the related affairs,” Afghan Public Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz.