Bridging divides or deepening gaps? ICT, quality of life, and the challenge of inclusive development at the intersection of healthcare and human development in South Asia.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure across developing countries, highlighting the need for scalable solutions to improve quality of life (QoL). This study investigates the asymmetric impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on Healthcare Expenditure (HCE) and the Human Development Index (HDI) across seven South Asian countries, where under-resourced healthcare systems coexist with rapid digital adoption. METHODS: We use data from 2005 to 2023 and employ Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) techniques. ICT is measured through an aggregate index of mobile subscriptions, internet users and broadband connections. RESULTS: The results reveal that: (1) ICT serves as a significant catalyst for aggregate Quality of Life, evidenced by positive effects on the HDI and HCE; (2) While ICT improves male human development (HDIM), its insignificant long run cointegration with female specific development (HDIF) confirms structural barriers persist despite aggregate progress in South Asia; (3) Moderation analysis highlights critical disparities, with ICT diffusion through male populations enhancing overall human development 7.5 percent more effectively than through female populations; (4) Urban contextualized ICT yields 7.3 percent stronger human development gains and 9.0 percent higher health expenditure impacts relative to rural diffusion; (5) Mediation analysis demonstrates that although ICT increases out of pocket health spending, these expenditures subsequently improve HDI; (6) ICT exhibits insignificant integration with maternal mortality, yet reduced maternal mortality independently elevates HDI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings necessitate gender- and geography-responsive ICT strategies, spatially balanced ICT infrastructure investment, and health financing safeguards to align South Asia's technological transformation with sustainable development goals 3 and 5, ensuring digital dividends foster inclusive wellbeing.