We bank, shop, and even date online. So why are we still weird about seeing a doctor from our phone?
By now, most of us wouldn’t think twice about doing our banking online, ordering dinner via an app, or chatting to a customer service bot at midnight. Technology has become the backbone of convenience in our daily lives. Yet, when it comes to something as vital and personal as our health, many South Africans still hesitate. Why?
“It’s fascinating,” says Tania Joffe, Founder of South Africa’s digital health app, Unu Health. “We’ve embraced digital services in almost every area of our lives—except healthcare. The big question is: Why not health? Why not now?”
And she has a point. The pandemic cracked open the telehealth door, but many people still haven’t walked through it.
So, do you? Or don’t you?
According to recent global surveys, a growing number of people say they prefer talking to AI-powered chatbots about their health issues—especially for those ‘awkward’ questions. No judgment. No raised eyebrows. No waiting room tension.
“There’s something very freeing about asking a virtual assistant about something you might be too embarrassed to say out loud,” says Joffe. “AI allows for privacy, convenience, and even emotional safety—three things that traditional healthcare sometimes struggles to deliver all at once.”
But that’s just the beginning.
Artificial Intelligence is no longer the stuff of sci-fi. In healthcare, AI is already helping to analyse symptoms, take vital measurements, flag high-risk conditions, and even support early diagnosis. Paired with real doctors and accessible apps like Unu Health, it’s becoming a powerful force in delivering quality healthcare.
“We’re not talking about replacing doctors,” Joffe clarifies. “We’re talking about enhancing access by making a real doctor consultation available on your phone, using video, chat or voice, assessing your symptoms through a triage that uses AI based logic, and supporting a temperature measurement using your phone camera’
This shift is particularly relevant in a country like South Africa, where millions of people face long queues, limited access, or the fear of being judged when they do finally speak up. “Telehealth can bridge gaps in access, affordability, and dignity,” she adds. “And AI can personalise care in a way that empowers people to take control of their own health.”
The reality is, if you’re already trusting apps with your money, your food, and your social life, why not your medical care?
“We want people to start talking about this,” says Joffe. “It’s time to ask ourselves: What’s holding us back? Is it habit? Is it fear? Because the tech is already here—and it’s getting better every day.”
And maybe that’s the real wake-up call. The future of health isn’t coming. It’s already here. The only question left is:
Do you? Don’t you?
For more information, please visit www.unuhealth.org