By Daniel Bampoe
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a fresh attack on the government’s management of Ghana’s digital healthcare infrastructure, demanding accountability from Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and the Ghana Health Service following the nationwide disruption of critical electronic health information systems over an outstanding cloud hosting bill of US$64,510.95.
The Minority says the shutdown has exposed serious weaknesses in the government’s financial planning, contract management and oversight of the country’s digital health infrastructure, particularly after the NDC administration promised to introduce a state-owned electronic health information platform to replace the controversial Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS).
In a press statement issued on November 6, 2026, and signed by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Hon. Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, the Minority questioned how a country that has committed substantial public resources to healthcare digitalisation could allow essential information systems to become inaccessible over an outstanding payment of approximately US$64,511.
The statement follows a November 2, 2026, internal communication from the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, which disclosed that Akamai, the cloud hosting provider, had suspended all 10 servers hosting several critical health information platforms from October 29.
Among the affected systems is the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS2), which supports the collection, validation, analysis and reporting of health information across the country.
The Minority argues that the incident raises serious questions about the sustainability of the government’s digital health strategy and whether the promises made during the introduction of the new Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS) are being matched by adequate investment and institutional safeguards.
From Lightwave controversy to GHIMS: How the digital health dispute began
The latest controversy comes against the background of the government’s decision to replace the Lightwave Health Information Management System with a new platform known as GHIMS.
In October 2025, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced the introduction of GHIMS, presenting it as a state-owned system intended to give government greater control over national health information and reduce dependence on private technology providers.
The decision followed a heated disagreement between the Ministry of Health and Lightwave E-Healthcare Solutions Limited over the implementation of the previous electronic health records project.
The Lightwave project began in 2016 under the Mahama administration, when the Ministry of Health signed an initial US$6 million agreement for deployment in 23 health facilities in the Central Region.
The programme was subsequently expanded under the Akufo-Addo administration through a US$100 million contract signed in March 2019. The agreement targeted the connection of 950 health facilities nationwide within 36 months.
However, the project encountered implementation delays and was extended before the contract expired on December 31, 2024.
Following the change of government, Akandoh accused Lightwave of failing to complete the agreed scope of work despite receiving approximately US$77 million. He questioned the number of facilities connected, the supply of hardware and the contractor’s demands for further payments.
The company rejected the minister’s allegations, arguing that it had completed substantial portions of the project and that the government’s assessment failed to account for the different financial values attached to various categories of hospitals.
Lightwave also maintained that the government owed it money for services provided after the expiration of the contract and disputed claims that it had improperly retained control of Ghana’s medical records.
The disagreement became a major public confrontation involving the current Health Minister and his predecessor, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, over the payments made, the value of work completed and the future of the country’s electronic health records infrastructure.
Akandoh subsequently announced that GHIMS would replace the previous arrangement, insisting that the new platform would belong to the state.
Minority questions government’s investment in GHIMS
Against this background, the Minority says the latest shutdown undermines public confidence in the government’s assurances about improving Ghana’s digital health infrastructure.
The caucus points to the increase in the Ministry of Health’s budget from approximately GH¢17.8 billion in 2025 to GH¢22.8 billion in 2026, representing a 28 per cent nominal increase.
Although the allocations cover the entire Ministry of Health and not GHIMS alone, the Minority argues that Ghanaians deserve a detailed account of how much has specifically been committed to the new digital health platform and related infrastructure.
It is demanding information on the budgetary allocations, actual expenditure, implementation progress and the extent to which GHIMS has been integrated with existing health information systems.
According to the statement, the introduction of a new digital platform should not be treated as an achievement unless the system is reliable, accessible and financially sustainable.
The Minority insists that digital healthcare transformation must be measured by the ability of the systems to function consistently and support health facilities, rather than by announcements about new technology.
How could Ghana lose access to 10 servers over $64,510?
One of the central questions raised by the Minority concerns the circumstances that led to the suspension of all 10 servers by Akamai.
The caucus expressed disappointment with both the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, questioning why outstanding contractual obligations were allowed to escalate into a nationwide disruption of critical health information services.
It argued that the failure to settle an amount of approximately US$64,511 raises concerns about financial planning, contract administration and institutional supervision.
The Minority also questioned the conduct of Akamai for suspending services that support essential health information management, given the potential consequences for public health administration.
However, it acknowledged that contractual obligations must be respected and called on the Ministry to review the hosting agreement and consider termination where justified by the facts and contractual provisions.
The caucus believes the government must establish whether the shutdown resulted from administrative failures, delayed payment approvals, weaknesses in contract management or other circumstances that should have been addressed before the hosting provider suspended the servers.
Multiple health information platforms affected
The GHS shutdown has affected several digital platforms used by health facilities and administrators across the country.
Apart from DHIMS2, the affected systems include the Planning and Budget Management Information System, eTracker, the Family Planning and Health Care platform, Operational Training and Supervision Support assessments and the Non-Communicable Disease tracker.
The HIV and tuberculosis trackers, ISRS sample tracker, National Malaria Data Repository, inpatient morbidity and mortality Events system, SMS alerts, transport system and Community Health Information Management portal have also experienced disruptions.
The shutdown has further affected the data-exchange gateway responsible for transmitting birth notifications to the National Identification Authority and the Births and Deaths Registry.
To prevent gaps in health reporting, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service has directed health facilities and district administrations to maintain paper-based registers and monthly summary forms until the digital platforms are restored.
Dr Akoriyea has also assured health officials that no data has been lost and that there has been no security breach. According to him, encrypted nightly backups of the affected systems are stored outside the suspended hosting account and were current up to October 29, 2026.
Minority demands immediate restoration and independent audit
In its November 6 statement, the Minority Health Committee outlined five major demands to the government.
First, it wants the immediate restoration of all affected systems and a clear timeline for their full operational recovery.
Second, it is demanding a comprehensive account of GHIMS expenditure, including budgetary allocations, actual spending, implementation progress and integration with existing health information platforms.
Third, the caucus wants an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Akamai suspension, with institutional responsibility established and appropriate corrective action taken.
Fourth, it is calling for an independent audit of Ghana’s digital health infrastructure, covering hosting arrangements, interoperability, data security and business continuity measures.
Finally, the Minority wants sustainable financing arrangements and infrastructure safeguards established to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
GHS considers payment and alternative hosting arrangement
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service has outlined two possible routes to restoring the affected systems.
The first is to settle the outstanding US$64,510.95 owed to Akamai and reinstate the existing account. According to Dr Akoriyea, this is the quickest option because it would restore the platforms without requiring them to be rebuilt.
The alternative would involve procuring new servers and reconstructing the systems using existing backups, a process that could take up to six weeks after the required capacity is secured.
The GHS has disclosed that it is finalising arrangements with Akamai and seeking approval for the payment, while the Director-General has appealed to the sector minister to expedite the process.
The Service has also indicated plans to consider migrating to a Ghana-based hosting provider after restoring the systems. The proposed transition would involve parallel operations and a funded backup arrangement.
Parliamentary accountability becomes the next battleground
The Minority says it will pursue parliamentary oversight to establish responsibility for the disruption and ensure that the country does not experience a similar situation in the future.
In its concluding remarks, the caucus maintained that Ghana’s digital health transformation must produce dependable services rather than policy announcements and new platforms that remain vulnerable to administrative and financial interruptions.
The statement stressed that it was unacceptable for critical national health information systems to become inaccessible over unresolved financial and contractual obligations.
