- BY Issah Olegor
Public criticism of the health sector leadership has intensified following renewed scrutiny of the performance of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, with concerns being raised about policy direction, sector management, and the overall impact of decisions taken since his appointment as Minister of Health under the Mahama administration.
The latest wave of criticism follows a detailed parliamentary submission by Dr. Titus Beyuo on the floor of Parliament of Ghana, which reignited public debate about leadership competence within the health ministry.
His intervention drew attention to systemic challenges in the sector and sparked broader conversations on the criteria used in selecting and appointing key government officials to sensitive portfolios such as health.
Since assuming office, Akandoh has faced mounting pressure over persistent unrest within the health sector.
Over the past 14 months, multiple protests and demonstrations have been recorded involving nursing trainees, rotation nurses, medical doctors, and other health workers, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with working conditions, policy direction, and administrative management.
These protests, critics argue, are a symptom of wider structural problems within the ministry rather than isolated labour disputes.
A major source of public concern has been the reported reversal of hospital digitisation systems, particularly the move away from computerized patient record management in public health facilities.
Previously, hospitals operated integrated electronic systems that allowed patient data to be shared seamlessly across units such as Outpatient Departments (OPDs), consulting rooms, laboratories, and pharmacies.
According to critics, this digital framework has now been disrupted, forcing hospitals to revert to manual, paper-based record-keeping systems, with patient data reportedly lost or rendered inaccessible.
Health policy analysts and civil society commentators say this development represents a significant setback in healthcare delivery, efficiency, and data management, especially at a time when digital health systems are globally seen as essential to modern healthcare infrastructure.
They argue that the collapse of these systems has directly affected patient experience, service delivery speed, and coordination among hospital departments.
Beyond policy and administration, the controversy has also spilled onto social media platforms, where critics allege coordinated online campaigns aimed at defending the minister.
Observers claim that organised groups, allegedly linked to the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), have been deployed to counter criticism through repetitive, scripted online messages, raising concerns about political propaganda, digital misinformation, and the manipulation of public discourse.
While government officials and party communicators have not formally responded to these allegations, the growing public debate reflects deeper anxieties about governance, accountability, and leadership standards within the health sector.
For many stakeholders, the issue goes beyond personalities and partisan politics, touching on the broader question of how Ghana manages critical public institutions that directly affect the lives and welfare of citizens.
