Achieving sustainable social development requires health systems that are resilient, inclusive, efficient, and capable of responding to rapidly changing population needs. Digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly reshaping prevention, diagnosis, care delivery, public-health surveillance, health education, and system governance. Yet their benefits are not automatic. Persistent digital divides, weak infrastructure, fragmented data environments, limited workforce capacity, algorithmic bias, privacy risks, and unequal access may reproduce or deepen existing social and health inequalities. These challenges are especially important in low- and middle-income countries, rural and underserved communities, and settings facing resource constraints or humanitarian and climate-related pressures. This special issue will explore the role of digital technologies and AI in enabling sustainable, equitable, people-centered health-system transformation. It welcomes interdisciplinary submissions that connect public health, medicine, social sciences, health policy, informatics, education, economics, ethics, and implementation science. Special attention will be given to evidence beyond technological novelty to evaluate social value, accessibility, cultural acceptability, governance, environmental sustainability, feasibility of implementation, and measurable impacts on population health and health equity. Comparative, cross-cultural, and Global South perspectives are particularly welcome. Topics may include, but are not limited to: AI-assisted public-health decision-making; digital epidemiology and disease surveillance; telehealth and remote care; mobile health and digital health literacy; electronic health records and interoperable data systems; predictive analytics for prevention and resource allocation; digital resources for mental health, chronic diseases, maternal and child health, and healthy aging; ethical and responsible AI; privacy, cybersecurity, and data governance; algorithmic fairness; inclusive design for vulnerable populations; workforce education and digital competencies; economic evaluation and sustainable financing; implementation barriers and facilitators; community participation and trust; digital approaches to universal health coverage; climate-resilient health systems; and policy frameworks for responsible digital transformation. The special issue seeks original research articles, systematic and scoping reviews, meta-analyses, policy analyses, case studies, implementation studies, methodological papers, and evidence-based perspectives. Authors are encouraged to specify their methodological approach, context, stakeholder relevance, and implications for policy or practice. Together, the contributions will provide actionable evidence for researchers, practitioners, decision-makers, and communities seeking to harness digital innovation while advancing equity, social inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Suggested Topics 

• Digital transformation and sustainable health-system strengthening 

• Artificial intelligence for public health, prevention, and decision support 

• Health equity, the digital divide, and inclusive innovation 

• Telehealth, mobile health, and access in rural or underserved settings 

• Responsible AI, algorithmic fairness, ethics, privacy, and data governance 

• Digital health literacy, workforce competencies, and health education 

• Implementation science, scale-up, economic evaluation, and sustainable financing

 • Interoperability, electronic health records, and learning health systems 

• Digital responses to chronic disease, mental health, aging, and maternal and child health 

• Community engagement, trust, cultural adaptation, and patient-centered design 

• Climate-resilient, low-carbon, and environmentally sustainable digital health 

• Policy, regulation, and international or cross-sector collaboration

• Digital Health 

• Artificial Intelligence

 • Sustainable Development 

• Health-System Transformation 

• Health Equity 

• Public Health 

• Universal Health Coverage 

• Responsible AI 

• Digital Inclusion 

• Health Policy 

• Implementation Science 

• Global South