Health sector Blockchain Application, Case Study of Malawi
My PhD research focuses on the application of blockchain technology to strengthen transparency and reduce pilferage in Malawi’s health supply chain. The study critically examines systemic weaknesses in drug distribution—particularly issues of accountability, inventory management, and data fragmentation—that contribute to stock-outs and medicine diversion. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines survey data, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews to assess stakeholder perceptions, readiness, and capacity for blockchain adoption. Guided by the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, the thesis evaluates infrastructural, policy, and human resource barriers while proposing a blockchain-based framework tailored to Malawi’s health context. It further outlines a pilot model for implementation at the district level to test feasibility and impact. Ultimately, the research contributes to the body of knowledge on digital health innovations in low-resource settings and offers policy and practical recommendations for integrating blockchain into national health supply chains to improve efficiency, accountability, and patient outcomes.