The last 48 hours have seen the subject of bitcoin in the headlines again as the price of the cryptocurrency plunged by 30%. Its ability to grab world attention has obscured a more fundamental, and interesting, subject: the far-reaching benefits that could accrue from the technology that underpins it. Iwa Salami sets out how and why blockchain could be a game-changer, particularly for developing countries. She unpacks a deal recently signed by Ethiopia – the largest blockchain deal ever signed by a government – to create a database of identities of teachers and students. Using blockchain technology to give millions of people a digital identity could have major knock-on benefits.

Vaccine hesitancy is recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the top ten threats to global health. But there’s scant research about it in lower-income countries. Knowing why people are reluctant to be vaccinated can make or break health initiatives. This is true in ongoing efforts to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Jean-Francois Maystadt, Kalle Hirvonen and Nik Stoop discuss the findings of a survey done in 22 countries on the continent that sought to get to the bottom of the question. The main finding was that child vaccination rates were lowest in areas where people mistrusted local authorities.

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