Applying blockchain to good causes is a must | Opinion

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It’s a sad fact that a disease such as AIDS still carries a stigma that can all too often prevent people from seeking help, information, or treatments that could prevent its spread. Although decades of campaigning and medical research have ensured people in advanced democracies can access regular testing and medications that ensure HIV is barely detectable, other parts of the world aren’t as fortunate.

Take, for instance, the case of a young man in sub-Saharan Africa who might be a member of the LGBTQ+ community and have concerns that talking to doctors or official bodies could lead to people knowing about his status. Even if the doctor he talks to respects patient confidentiality, medical records can be misplaced, and cyberattacks can see personal information leaked to third parties, which would understandably be a genuine deterrent. 

Blockchain as a solution

In addition to transparency, DLT can facilitate peer-to-peer interactions between donors and recipient organizations, eliminating traditional intermediaries such as transport companies, operations managers, and distributors, who understandably need to be compensated for their time. The elimination of intermediaries can also go hand-in-hand with reduced administrative costs associated with managing and distributing funds, allowing more money to go directly to the intended causes. The elimination of these intermediaries will inevitably make some people worse off as their jobs are no longer required; however, it will create a more streamlined process for donations to be made to those most in need.

AIDS is just a disease and can impact anyone; however, prejudices and antiquated thinking have created a toxic legacy whereby people needlessly continue to be infected and die prematurely. Now is the time for fresh thinking on how we tackle this crisis and harness new technologies to educate, empower, and connect people with the resources that would previously been unavailable to them. 

Blockchain is often criticized as a solution in search of a problem or the solution to all problems; although some of its proponents can be overly zealous in their proselytization, its application has enormous potential in regions of the world that have traditionally been excluded from technology and services we take for granted in the advanced economies. Now is the time for policymakers and charities to take a more imaginative approach to how they tackle long-standing problems that have held back progress for decades. Blockchain technology has the potential to eliminate problems related to costs, friction, privacy, and data security. Now is the time to put it to use; the consequences of inaction are simply too high.