The Afghan Ministry of Public Health has agreed on an MoU with blockchain company FantomOperations, in an attempt to further blockchain integration rate in the Afghan healthcare industry. 

Reported by Afghan Voice Agency on November 27, the MoU would give way for blockchain integration of counterfeit medicines identification, medical registries and patients’ records creation in hospitals. 

“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, shared his remarks regarding the news. 

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals has been one of the big problems throughout Afghanistan, raising concerns from both the authorities and the citizens, as the traditional medicine is the primary cure for health-related matters, because it is cheap and accessible, according to European Asylum Support Office report. 

“The Medicine Importers Union stated that at least 40% of medicine and medical equipment enter the Afghan market illegally and many of the pharmaceutical products are low quality,” the report claimed. 

Numerous blockchain-based projects have been initiated in Afghanistan. The UN has kickstarted a blockchain project, dubbed “City for All”, focuses on sustainable urban development, using the tech to achieve transparency for land records and services. 

In April, the central bank of Afghanistan was planning to introduce a sovereign crypto bond, in order to secure $5.8 billion of funds.