The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced the introduction of a new digital health platform, the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), to replace the suspended Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS).
He explained that the move marks the end of manual medical record-keeping in Ghana’s health facilities.
GHIMS, he said, is a fully state-owned and managed system designed to improve the security and accessibility of health information across the country.
Speaking at a media engagement at the Jubilee house, the Minister revealed that the decision followed forensic and technical audits that uncovered serious problems with the previous LHIMS project.
According to him, the $100 million LHIMS contract, awarded in 2019 to connect 950 health facilities, was expected to be completed by 2022. However, after two extensions, the contractor still failed to meet key targets.
“By the time the contract expired in December 2024, only 450 facilities had been connected less than half of the original target even though over $77 million had already been paid, representing more than 70 percent of the total cost,” he revealed.
“The audit also found shortages and poor-quality equipment, with an estimated $29 million worth of supplies either missing or below standard,” he added.
The Minister described the contractor’s refusal to hand over administrative access and Ghana’s health data as “pure blackmail,” saying it caused repeated service disruptions and data losses.
To fix these challenges, he noted that the Ministry has now developed GHIMS, a new national digital health system built entirely by the government.
The system he noted includes a National Health Information Exchange, a secure platform that allows different health service providers to connect under government regulation, preventing any single company from controlling national health data.
GHIMS he underscored also links directly with the National Health Insurance Authority database, making it possible for patients to access their medical records anywhere in the country.
“This means that a patient registered in Tamale can receive treatment in Accra without having to re-register,” he indicated.
Mr. Akandoh announced that GHIMS will be rolled out in phases over four weeks, starting with teaching and regional hospitals, followed by district hospitals, polyclinics, health centers, and CHPS compounds.
He added that the audit findings have been forwarded to the Attorney-General and other state security agencies for further investigation and appropriate action.
Source: Ghanaian Times
