Blockchain-secured healthcare in west africa

How blockchain-secured authentication protects 30 million medications across West Africa - even offline.
Explore the case

About the Project

To protect millions from counterfeit medicines, a West African health authority partnered with authentic.network to secure pharmaceutical products with tamper-proof crypto-optical labels.
Each product now carries a blockchain-verified digital identity, instantly scannable via smartphone - even offline.The result? Unprecedented protection for 30 million medication units, full supply chain visibility, and a scalable solution that saves lives - even in low-connectivity areas.

In parts of West Africa, up to 60 % of medicines are counterfeit - a deadly threat to public health.
To address this, a regional health authority partnered with authentic.network to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain using crypto-optical labels and blockchain technology.The result: millions of life-saving products can now be verified instantly – even offline – ensuring trust, transparency, and safety at scale.

The challange

Across West Africa, counterfeit medicines are a life-threatening reality.According to WHO estimates, 30–60 % of medications in certain regions are fake – contributing to 116,000 deaths annually from falsified malaria treatments alone.

The core problems:
  • No way to authenticate products at the point of use
  • No visibility into who handles or dispenses the medication
  • No low-cost system fit for rural or disconnected areas
A solution was needed that could:
  • Secure every product from the factory to the pharmacy
  • Enable instant, offline authentication
  • Scale to millions of units across fragmented supply chains
  • Work without changing existing production infrastructure

The solution

authentic.network implemented a crypto-optical authentication system directly into the local manufacturing process.
Every package now carries a unique, tamper-proof label - resistant to heat, moisture, and humidity - and verifiable via any smartphone, even in offline settings.

Key advantages:
  • Blockchain-verified identity for each unit
  • Partners became verifiable touchpoints within the customer journey
  • Dealer map and scan dashboard to visualize distribution
Implementation was smooth and adapted to regional conditions – ensuring both scalability and trust in the field.

The results

30 million
units of medicine secured
20×
cheaper than RFID alternatives
100%
traceability from production to patient
For the first time, end users, healthcare workers, and governments can verify product authenticity instantly - even in remote areas with no internet access.
"Just like today’s smart kitchen appliances come with their own recipes and perfectly mix ingredients, we realized that a solar panel should be able to deliver more than just electricity.We wanted to offer helpful digital services and information that customers could access easily through a simple app.”

Dr. Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger

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