Blockchain and Medicine in Africa

[sirenmoon]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

Of cos it possible.  But I think the government of African countries need to adopt the Blockchain technology for it to be extended to the poor people in Africa. I believe Blockchain will change the world.

It is currently changing a world in terms of a new knowledge that the crypto technologies provide. Crypto currently serves only for the mean for the profit. A longer time must pass for it to be realized completely into the imagined goals. Africa's government needs to adopt crypto as such but with the current situation that is present there, it is hardly possible right now. I do believe that this technology will change the world but that is far from the happening yet.

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[bowals]

i've been considering this for a while, i do feel that medicine in africa is too archaic to be using blockchain technology. the patients are mostly illiterates. How do you explain the blockchain technology to a man who wouldnt wanna use internet or mobile bank? how would you use blockchain when light (power) and internet are still major problems?

[entrepmind23]

The application of blockchain to medicine is helpful in Africa. Procurement of personnel and other medical equipment is needed by the people of Africa. We will know how the blockchain technology will be developed. I hope this will continue, not just in Africa but other poor countries

Blockchain technology would be a big help to prevent counterfeit drugs being sold in the black market. But then we should take into account first the most basic problem in Africa which would be lack of needs like clean water and technology too. They would have a hard time using blockchain technology if they would not have a stable connection to have the transactions. Regarding the medicine, some private companies take advantage of the opportunity to deliver counterfeit drugs because more often than not, it cannot be detected but through blockchain technology, there would be transparency and the transactions can be traced.

This is the article related to the situation of the medicinal sector in Africa. http://allafrica.com/stories/201711160493.html

As I quote:

Nevin said NAFDAC has pioneered several authentication technologies targeted at fighting counterfeit drugs. He said on the back of technology adoption, circulation of counterfeit medicines dropped from 40 per cent in 2001 to 16.7 percent in 2015. The economist said a new mandatory method called "mass serialization," often combined with "track-and-trace" requirements, is becoming the worldwide standard for regulators in securing the supply chain.

 

[chaoscoinz]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

Maybe within the developed countries apart of Africa, as it is a continent with many countries within. I myself am not aware, but I'm sure their are ways to bring blockchain into the infrastructure of a country. There are a lot of areas within Africa where the Blockchain may not reach any time soon, at least until development starts thriving in those parts.
   

[lokanot0]

There is a really high possibility and it is not impossible to make. The problem lies on who will be the one to fund such healthcare. The government of Africa is already out of the option. It is possible that it would be a third party country or a very rich individual or an international organization.

[nur rochid]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

Maybe within the developed countries apart of Africa, as it is a continent with many countries within. I myself am not aware, but I'm sure their are ways to bring blockchain into the infrastructure of a country. There are a lot of areas within Africa where the Blockchain may not reach any time soon, at least until development starts thriving in those parts.
   

as long as the africa government keeps up with technology, i think blockchain will fill the development of medicine house in that country. i think the role of government is very dominant in this regard

[wuvdoll]

It will take a time for make blockchain to help Africa,Because Governments & it's politicians always push back these types of advantages that can get good future for poor peoples. Hope world can give some support to these poor peoples & blockchain can make good future for all.

Obviously, we would not expect things to just kick in like that and just like we can see all over the world and not just in Africa.

Yes, there would be some countries that will be quick to adjust and start making use of the real life cases of blockchain technology which is understandable due to the available infrastructures which could help with the assistance of the government which we know is lacking in most part of Africa, but that does not mean a lot is not being done in some developing nations in Africa. Rome was not built in a day, so we obviously cannot expect blockchain to just cause an evolution in a day.

[squog]

For blockchain to work in africa, and talking about the dirt poor indigenous tribes in africa not the rich glamorous south Africa, we will need a heck of alot of infrastructures installed in Africa herself. Block chain eill not work without internet, or much less a cellular signal. We can use block chain as a holding measure then give itnto Africa as a dole out nutbthat is not self sufficient.

[naidray]

Blockchain technology is not widely adopted in Africa so its application in medicine will take some time

I would not say it is not widely adopted in Africa yet, since I have seen some of the developing countries in Africa looking at how the application of blockchain technology can benefit the country in a huge deal.

Nevertheless, just like anywhere else in the world, we all know this is new and it would take some time to start adopting, building on the open source protocol to see how things can be like but at the same time, with something like this implemented everywhere and most especially in developed and underdeveloped countries, it will strongly help.

[carlisle1]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

Theres no impossible in regards tp this matter,because cryptocurrency ate extending the projects worldwide i guess what we only need is an african people that wil organize or create some projects in regards this so lets wait this will come to your part just have Patience

[darewaller]

The problems with medicine in poor countries is the sheer number of counterfeit drugs which cause even more damage than the illness. Take a look at "farmatrust" which solves this problem via blockchain technology. I think the ICO is still ongoing if you wish to invest and make a fast buck

The thing is that blockchain technology is really going to be helping in a whole lot of way in the health sector.
Yeah, this topic is a bit directed to African countries, but not just in Africa but all over the world in some perspective as per my knowledge.

When it comes to health deterioration based on how the sectors are fashioned out, less healthcare for the poor, siphoning of funds, distribution of fake drugs, no data. No audit and everything is just messed up, we can say indeed Africa will be benefiting a whole lot as most of these things can easily be curbed with blockchain technology.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

<snip>

That's a great explanation.  I'm no blockchain expert, as everyone here knows, but when I hear stuff like "blockchain and medicine" it makes me think of ICO claims that can't be fulfilled.  The medical records aspect of medicine does indeed sound like it could lend itself to a blockchain solution.  Makes me wonder about patient confidentiality and hacking, but again I'm just having those thoughts as a non-expert in crypto.  Edit:  I'm not talking about hacking as though bitcoin could be hacked; I'm talking about people with the information getting their computers hacked, just like bitcoin owners have.

I would love for there to be some sort of revolution in Africa.  A large part of the continent has been living in the tribal ages and doesn't seem to have evolved much.  Sure they have cell phones, but they also have dirt roads and kill people in the streets with impunity--kind of like some countries in South America.  Most of that has to do with government, but those countries need to move forward.  I don't know of there's a blockchain solution, or even if it could help at all, but it'd be nice.

[franky1]

<snip>

That's a great explanation.  I'm no blockchain expert, as everyone here knows, but when I hear stuff like "blockchain and medicine" it makes me think of ICO claims that can't be fulfilled.  The medical records aspect of medicine does indeed sound like it could lend itself to a blockchain solution.  Makes me wonder about patient confidentiality and hacking, but again I'm just having those thoughts as a non-expert in crypto.  Edit:  I'm not talking about hacking as though bitcoin could be hacked; I'm talking about people with the information getting their computers hacked, just like bitcoin owners have.

hacking..
remember. the database is not stored in one location. its in multiple clinics/ hositals in multiple regions. so no one can (excuse the pun) doctor the records.
as for how the records get into a block. imagine a blood test result is not simply added as a tx signed by 1 doctor. but instead relayed out and requires upto 5 doctors/signatures... great.. automatic 'second/third opinion' EG lab tech in region A. blood/haemotologist specialist in region B and then the patients family physician(GP) which increases accuracy of diagnoses due to second/third opinions.

whereby that data is not stored in clear text but encrypted using the keys of upto 5 people
lab tech,
blood specialist.
patients physician
patient
patients closest hospital

now a hacker would need to have both/atleast 2 keys to unencrypt the data.
also the "computer" (node) does not need to be a standard PC but a secured device in a lockbox (aeroplane black box idea(extra strong lockbox for a raspbery Pi)) that is tamper proof unless you physically got hold of it and broke it open to then .. as i said still need the 2 of 5 private keys just to viw that data of that specific result..

I would love for there to be some sort of revolution in Africa.  A large part of the continent has been living in the tribal ages and doesn't seem to have evolved much.  Sure they have cell phones, but they also have dirt roads and kill people in the streets with impunity--kind of like some countries in South America.  Most of that has to do with government, but those countries need to move forward.  I don't know of there's a blockchain solution, or even if it could help at all, but it'd be nice.

i think you have been reading too many fox news reports. things have moved on since the emotional OXFAM videos of the 1980's where you see crying babies starving, where oxfam never actually bothered to answer the question.. if it takes12 hours to walk to clean water, why do thy not just camp at the clean water.(have a deep thought about that question)
if you had to walk 6 hours to work.. 6 hours from work.. you would end up selling your home(more specifically pack up your tent) and move camp next to your work, right?

what is not shown is a high majority of these oxfam appeals, if the camera's just turned 180 degree's would see that these shanty towns border large cities where people are forced out of the city due to high rents. and usually waiting hours in a queue for the water truck..
instead they video people using local rivers(making it seem only the rivers are available and those rivers are dozens of miles away, to play on our heart strings)
aftr all would you donate if the camera panned around and seed a skyscaper just 1 mile away. nope. so oxfam set a scene that wells are needed so that oxfam can make money making the wells and save money by not needing to daily deliver watr trucks to the homeless on the outskirts of cities
remember the 1980's tear jerking charity drives for ethiopia.. then check out this image
https://cms.qz.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/addislandscape.jpg


also the shanty towns further into the deserts/jungles (where you see the guys with guns) are usualy villages set up temporarily for gold mining and or nature preserves where the blockades you see are the land owners making sure their land is protected from uninvited miners/animal poachers.
they chose to be there.
after all.. is sandy desert or tree's something worth shooting ovr. nope.. but valuable land suh as gold plots. and endangrd animals ned to be protected. they dont have guns and live in the wild for no reason.

these people do have access to vehicles and guns so a cell phone to receive a text about if they are diabetic.. is not much of a stretch
(might be worth you researching M-pesa as their cross border/local electronic payment system)

as for the area's that are "tribal" and not evolved. have made the conscious choice to avoid evolving. (like some Amish/indian comunities) they infact even avoid modern healthcare and still believe in only using their shamen healers.. to which i say. allow them to heal themselves in they ways they believe

[gowobonyok]

definitely with the development of blockchain technology, blockchain will help everything including in the health field. because as new technologies emerge, blockchain will certainly continue to innovate and tangible and helpful new steps.

[Incodium Coin]

Blockchain technology has immense potential to better the provision of goods and services, understandably one of those areas is the health sector in Africa (and elsewhere). However, if you asked me, l'd prefer we prioritize the application of blockchain technology to the electoral process in Africa. 9 in 10 presidential election results are contested on basis of voting irregularities and fraud. If they leaders of African countries reflected the will of the people, the Continent would be in a much better place. Medicine, livelihoods and education would be assured.

just an opinion

[Ava Duvall]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

I think Africa started to develop some blockchain already. It not about healthcare but i think the time will come and it will help the needy in Africa

I also heard that , but i think health care is still a big problem in Africa, so once health care is up to date then they can think about integrating blockchain

[el kaka22]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

It would really help a great deal in the healthcare. We all know how data collection, analysis and record have been over the years and with the help of blockchain technology, it is not all about advancing alone, but the fact that it is going to bring about efficiency when it comes to cost as well as auditing, which I believe would make a huge difference in the long run and not only in Africa but all over the world.

Though, it may take some time to see this kind of adoption in every under developed countries in other continents.

[Deubila]

For blockchain to work in africa, and talking about the dirt poor indigenous tribes in africa not the rich glamorous south Africa, we will need a heck of alot of infrastructures installed in Africa herself. Block chain eill not work without internet, or much less a cellular signal. We can use block chain as a holding measure then give itnto Africa as a dole out nutbthat is not self sufficient.

This is also considered for this country. Due to the fact that there are limits to the application of modern digital technology. There are certain conditions, such as internet and technology products. In order to serve the investors here, it is necessary to add these things.

[crazymelons12]

I think this may have some good result to make transactions faster in giving health care to the african people. Money is always a consideration when buying products and when payment systems will use blockchain or cryptocurrency I think it will be a lot easier for them. How about making it experimental so that when it will have good results certainly it will be then made possible to most parts of africa needing healthcare.

[gabbie2010]

The world has since been stirred up by the wind of blockchain possibilities seen in fintech; records and data analysis and also recently in politics. But can we see thesame possibilities in healthcare for the poor in Africa?

Blockchain technology has been deployed in various fields like chain supplies etc and the outcome or the end result was outstanding invariably introducing this technology to Africa and channelling it to medicine will fast track supplies to the remotes and rural areas thus reducing high mortality rates in those areas.