Medical misinformation isn’t just misleading; it can be deadly.

Dr Siya, the doctor who rose to global recognition for sharing trusted medical advice online during the Covid-19 pandemic, has issued a strong warning about the real-world consequences of disinformation on social media.

Speaking at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, Dr Siya said unchecked misinformation has already cost lives, and continues to do so.

Drawing from his experience working in overwhelmed trauma wards and emergency units in South Africa during the pandemic, he explained how false information online directly contributed to reduced vaccine uptake, severe illness, and preventable deaths.

“People were coming in because of beliefs formed by what they saw, read, or were told online,” Dr Siya said. “People started refusing and delaying evidence-based treatment.”

Death of a baby

One case, he shared, still haunts him. A mother brought her three-month-old baby to the hospital after following online advice from a traditional healer claiming to cure illnesses naturally.

“By the time she arrived, the baby was not moving, not breathing,” he said. 

“That baby was killed.”

Determined to fight back, Dr. Siya turned to TikTok to counter false health claims with evidence-based information. Today, his audience has grown to more than 4 million followers, making him one of the region’s most influential medical voices online.

Why misinformation spreads so fast

Dr. Siya highlighted that the World Economic Forum has ranked misinformation and disinformation as the world’s top global threat for two consecutive years, alongside wars and climate change. An MIT study also found that false information spreads six times faster than facts.

While misinformation has always existed, he said, social media has dramatically amplified its reach. One of the most dangerous trends he’s currently seeing is false claims about cancer cures, which can lead people to delay life-saving medical treatment.

How to fight misinformation

Dr. Siya shared his 3C framework for combating misinformation effectively:

• Credibility: Show qualifications and trustworthiness, especially for medical professionals
• Connection: Be relatable, emotional, and use storytelling to engage audiences
• Clarity: Keep information simple, digestible, and easy to understand

He urged content creators to remember that people come to social media to be entertained, not to “use their cognitive energy,” making clarity and connection essential.

For audiences, his advice was equally clear. Verify sources, check credentials, and think twice before sharing content, especially when friends and family trust your voice.

“If you don’t fully understand it, don’t share it,” he said, stressing that confusion fuels misinformation.

Dr Siya closed his session with a powerful reminder of shared responsibility: “Medicine saves lives one at a time. Responsible information saves lives at scale.”

The 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026, which took place at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, DIFC, and the Museum of the Future, concluded on Sunday, January 11.