Use of Block chain Technology in Vaccine Distribution to Enhance Vaccine Safety in Kenya

Abstract

Recent history has seen COVID-19 emerge as one of the deadliest communicable diseases. Following its high levels of severity, inaction, and spread, the World Health Organization, WHO, declared the disease a global pandemic and called on nations to take action to contain the virus. The world response to COVID-19 pandemic through development of vaccines has been tremendous having developed two vaccines with an efficacy rate of more than 90% in few months. One of the main hinderances to fighting a pandemic is the use of counterfeit vaccines. The biggest challenges identified in vaccine distribution is how the vaccines will get to every living person while maintaining their safety and efficiency and how to prove that the vaccines delivered for injection are authentic. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore how the different factors to be considered to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccines and safety to the public is upheld. It also aimed at finding out how to control counterfeit vaccines from entering the vaccine supply chain. This research finds that the use of immutability and proof of origin features of Blockchain technology greatly enhances traceability of the vaccines within the supply chain. It is imperative that the granular information collected at the various stages of the vaccine supply chain should be intuitive and accessible to all parties and be used to measure the safety of the vaccines.