Last week, I attended Arab Health 2025 in Dubai, one of the world’s largest and most influential medical conferences. Walking through its vast halls, I was immersed in the future of healthcare—AI-driven diagnostics, robotic surgeries, decentralised science, and the rise of ‘house-pitals’ that bring advanced care into our homes.
Imagine a world where your entire health record is seamlessly connected—your prescriptions, fitness data, glucose readings, and even mental well-being logs all stored in one place. Doctors could predict illnesses before they happen, wearable devices would track and adjust treatments in real-time, and AI-powered robots could assist in surgeries with pinpoint precision.
This isn’t a glimpse into the distant future. It’s happening now. Over four days, global experts shared ground-breaking advancements in digital medicine, telemedicine, and preventative wellness, painting a clear picture of what healthcare will soon look like.
But as I listened to these innovations, one question stayed with me: Where does Zambia fit into this future? Are we preparing for this transformation, or will we be left behind?

What I Learned at Arab Health: The Next Frontier of Medicine
A key discussion was AI in medicine and patient safety. The world is shifting toward centralised digital health records, integrating data from wearables, medical history, and lifestyle habits into a single profile. This allows doctors to diagnose faster and enables AI-assisted surgeries customised for individual conditions.
Another major theme was longevity and disease prevention—moving away from reactive healthcare to proactive self-care. Experts introduced ‘young-gevity’, a concept that promotes teaching children about nutrition, exercise, and wellness from an early age, so they grow up making healthier choices.
The ‘house-pital’ movement was also a game-changer. Studies show that patients have higher blood pressure readings in hospitals due to stress. By bringing care into the home through telemedicine, remote monitoring, and AI-assisted diagnostics, hospital visits could be significantly reduced.
Finally, I learned about decentralised science, an open-source movement that could speed up medical discoveries by making research more accessible, cutting out the monopoly of big pharmaceutical companies.

Zambia’s Reality: The Barriers We Face
While these innovations are exciting, Zambia is far from implementing AI-driven healthcare, centralised medical data, or home-based robotic diagnostics.
Our challenges include:
• Lack of funding and digital infrastructure for AI-powered health records.
• Limited access to wearable health devices that provide real-time health tracking.
• Low penetration of telemedicine services, especially in rural areas.
• A healthcare system that focuses more on treatment than prevention.
But rather than focusing on what we lack, we should ask: What can we do with the resources we already have?

Our Strength: The Power of Preventative Health
One thing Zambia already has, which many wealthier nations lack, is access to natural, organic foods and an active lifestyle.
At Arab Health, longevity was a key focus. This resonated deeply with me because I am living proof that a natural lifestyle can transform health.
As someone with type 1 diabetes for three decades, I have relied on a diet rich in organic vegetables, lean proteins, and fresh foods to manage my condition. Instead of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, I prioritise whole foods, movement, and balance.
But I also recognize that lifestyle alone is not enough. My body cannot produce insulin, so I take medication—not as a crutch, but as a necessary top-up for what my body cannot do on its own. This is the balance we must teach: medication where needed, but not at the expense of giving the body its best fighting chance through proper nutrition and lifestyle habits.
The result? Not only has my diabetes remained under control, but my biological age is younger than my actual age. My energy is high, my skin glows, and my health is strong—all because I embraced Zambia’s natural way of living while using medicine responsibly from a young age.
We do not need AI-driven tracking (yet!) to improve our well-being. We already have powerful tools:
✅ A climate that allows year-round access to fresh produce.
✅ A cultural heritage of home-cooked meals over processed junk food.
✅ A physically active lifestyle rooted in movement, walking, and outdoor activities.
If we focus on nutrition, movement, and mindfulness, we can significantly reduce the burden of chronic diseases in Zambia.

Young-gevity: Investing in Our Future Through Education
To create a healthier Zambia in the next five years, we need to adopt the ‘young-gevity’ mindset and start educating young people now.
Here’s what we can do immediately:
1. Introduce wellness education in schools and colleges.
• Teach students about nutrition, exercise, and the dangers of fast food and alcohol.
• Include diabetes prevention and lifestyle medicine in curriculums.
2. Promote healthy habits at home.
• Parents should model home-cooked meals, daily walks, and reduced sugar intake.
• Communities should discourage excessive alcohol consumption.
3. Leverage media and social platforms.
• Use social media to share wellness content in local languages.
• Encourage Zambian influencers to promote health-conscious lifestyles.
4. Advocate for government and private sector support.
• Push for investment in telemedicine, mobile clinics, and digital health education.
• Encourage local farmers and businesses to make organic foods more affordable.

Where Will Zambia Be in Five Years?
Zambia may not have the funding for AI healthcare revolutions, but we do have one of the most powerful tools available—knowledge.
By focusing on education, organic foods, and active living, we can create a healthier nation without relying on expensive medical technology.

Final Thought: The Future is in Our Hands
At Arab Health, the message was clear: The future of healthcare is patient-led, proactive, and technology-driven.
But in Zambia, the future of healthcare must be built on what we already have—our natural lifestyle, our cultural wisdom, and the power of education.
The question is not whether Zambia can afford AI-driven healthcare, but rather: Can we afford to ignore the health revolution happening globally?
We have the tools. We have the knowledge. Now, we must take action.

(Kaajal Vaghela is a wellness entrepreneur, sportswear designer, and diabetes health consultant with over three decades of lived experience managing Type 1 diabetes. As the chairperson of the Lusaka branch of the Diabetes Association of Zambia, she is a passionate advocate for breaking down myths and building awareness about diabetes. For more information, check out: www.kaajalvaghela.com and for any feedback: [email protected])