Generative AI and Digital Bioethics in Sub-Saharan Africa

The chapter explores the digital bioethical challenges arising from using emerging technologies in healthcare systems with limited resources. The technologies improve access, increase diagnostic accuracy, and boost public health resilience, but their rollout in Sub-Saharan Africa often exceeds the available infrastructure, regulations, and cultural fit. Using principlism, global health ethics, and participatory governance models, the chapter introduces a Tri-Pillar Hut Ethical Framework includes (1) principlism tailored to community autonomy and local needs, (2) deep cultural understanding that values linguistic and knowledge diversity, and (3) decentralised, participatory governance to ensure accountability. The framework is rooted in the socio-political and historical background of Sub-Saharan Africa and is reinforced by ongoing practices like ethics training and community reviews. This chapter redefines digital health not just as technological progress but as a transformation focused on equity grounded in justice, cultural respect, and sustainable governance.