Digital Health Divide in South Asia: Ethical Concerns, Challenges, and Recommendations

The continued development of digital health technologies is reforming health systems and services globally; however, the South Asian countries are experiencing a sub-optimal growth and use of such technologies. Thus, a digital divide in healthcare is affecting the potential transformations in health services and outcomes in this region. This implies inadequate access to the best possible health technologies for a majority of the population, raising ethical concerns for healthcare practice. We discuss such concerns and the underlying socio-ecological challenges at individual, community, society, and systems levels pertinent to the digital divide in healthcare and highlight the strategic recommendations to bridge the existing gaps. These challenges should be addressed through engaging key stakeholders in healthcare including patients, informal caregivers, healthcare providers, health services organizations, technological providers, local and regional regulatory organizations, and other entities who may inform the development and implementation of digital platforms for equitable health across populations in South Asia.