Much of the medical advice provided by free AI chatbots is inaccurate. A study published this week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) highlights significant concerns regarding the reliability of these tools. Many people now use AI-driven chatbots as search engines. They frequently turn to them for quick health information. However, researchers warn that these tools have potentially dangerous limitations.…
Tag: Digital Health
-
Non-Invasive Colon Cancer Test Could Speed Diagnosis
A new screening approach being developed by scientists in China and the UK could change how colorectal cancer is detected, especially in health systems with limited access to colonoscopy. The innovation is a Non-Invasive Colon Cancer Test that analyses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the vapour trapped above bowel faeces. The aim is simple. Identify higher-risk patients quickly, then prioritise…
-
Deepfake X-Ray Images Expose New Clinical Risk
AI-generated “deepfake” radiographs are now realistic enough to mislead clinicians and some of the very AI tools designed to support imaging workflows. That is the warning from a new study in Radiology, published on 24 March 2026, which tested how well radiologists could spot synthetic X-rays mixed into a clinical-style reading exercise. Researchers asked 17 radiologists from 12 hospitals across…
-
AI Health Prompts Drive Earlier Cancer Detection at Discovery
Discovery Life says AI-driven health prompts are helping clients detect serious illness earlier, including cancer. The insurer shared the update to highlight how incentives and personalised recommendations can shift health behaviour. Discovery Life, part of JSE-listed Discovery, has long linked rewards to healthy choices through its Vitality programme. Now it is expanding that approach with AI-led prompts. The insurer has…
-
Huawei AI In Healthcare Drives Global Clinical Innovation
Chinese technology giant Huawei is intensifying its investment in Huawei AI in Healthcare, positioning its new tools as “transformative” solutions for the sector. The company, already a major player in South Africa’s energy and banking industries, has identified healthcare as a priority area for growth and service modernisation. In its domestic market, the “AI+ healthcare” initiative is applying artificial intelligence…
-
Medical Aid Tax Credit Cut Could Reshape SA’s Private Healthcare
South Africa’s healthcare funding model may be nearing a defining break point. The proposed withdrawal of medical aid tax credits, starting with high-income earners in 2026 and extending to all taxpayers by 2027, is framed as a revenue-raising measure to support the National Health Insurance (NHI). But it is also a structural shift in how healthcare is financed. The change…
-
Healthcare Investment Drives Growth and Productivity
Leaders in emerging markets are under pressure. Economies are strained. Geopolitical tension is rising. Growth must be sustained. Yet policy debates often miss one core driver of national performance: health. In fact, healthcare investment drives growth by improving productivity and stability for these economies. A nation’s health is tightly linked to its economic strength. Health care is not a side…
-
WhatsApp Microlearning: Solving a Persistent HIV Training Gap
A new approach to frontline training is gaining traction in South Africa’s HIV response. It is built around a simple idea. Most clinicians and counsellors may not have time for long online webinars, but they do have phones and use WhatsApp. Briony Chisholm, an information pharmacist at the University of Cape Town’s Medicines Information Centre (MIC), says rural clinics often…
-
Digital Primary Healthcare in Africa: Building Resilience
The recent decision by major donor countries to reduce global health funding has sent shockwaves through sub-Saharan Africa. The consequences of stop-work orders issued in January 2025 have already impacted HIV programmes and other critical health responses. However, this crisis presents a vital opportunity for African nations to take greater ownership of their health systems. It can be done by…
-
Life Healthcare Digital Strategy: Human Care Remains Key
As the global medical sector races toward automation and artificial intelligence, the head of one of South Africa’s largest private hospital groups has issued a poignant reminder. Technology cannot replace the nurse at the bedside. However, a well-defined Life Healthcare digital strategy aims to integrate technology without losing the human touch. Peter Wharton-Hood, CEO of Life Healthcare, emphasised this philosophy…
-
Digitisation Drives Netcare’s Growth with a 20.7% in HEPS
Hospital Group Netcare has delivered a robust set of full-year earnings for the year ended 30 September 2025. The group reported a significant 20.7% surge in adjusted headline earnings per share (HEPS) to 137.2 cents, underpinned by resilient demand for private healthcare and the successful execution of its digitisation strategy. Indeed, digitisation is driving Netcare’s growth, contributing significantly to these…
-
Discovery and Google partner for Personalised Healthcare
Health and life insurer Discovery has announced a global partnership with Google, harnessing artificial intelligence to transform preventative healthcare. The initiative aims to provide individuals with highly personalised recommendations to improve their health, simultaneously helping to drive down the rising cost of insurance cover. The new platform, dubbed Vitality AI, combines the insurer’s extensive behavioural change expertise with Google Cloud’s…