Healthcare systems across the world are facing a new wave of cyberattacks fuelled by artificial intelligence, according to a report released ahead of World Patient Safety Day 2025.
The study, published by multinational cybersecurity firm Check Point Software Technologies (NASDAQ: CHKP), highlights a sharp rise in AI-driven attacks that compromise patient safety by disrupting surgeries, forcing emergency diversions, and even altering treatment plans.
Nigeria’s private healthcare sector is now among the most targeted in Africa, the report warns, with the scale and sophistication of attacks increasing at an alarming pace.
The Country Manager for West Africa at Check Point, Kingsley Oseghale, said, “On World Patient Safety Day 2025, the focus must extend beyond clinical errors to the hidden risks of cyberattacks on healthcare”.
“Healthcare in Nigeria is under increasing pressure from sophisticated cyber threats. These attacks no longer simply steal data; they put lives at risk.”
The report comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) marks this year’s Patient Safety Day under the theme “Safe care for every newborn and every child“.
The campaign is calling for urgent action to prevent harm in paediatric and neonatal care by mobilising governments, healthcare providers, and communities to strengthen safety systems.
WHO said the initiative also aims to empower parents and caregivers, promote innovation, and advance policies that ensure children everywhere have access to safe, high-quality healthcare from birth.
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