Minister Announces GHIMS To Replace LHIMS And Safeguard National Health Data

The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has assured Ghanaians that the era of manual medical records is over, as government rolls out a new, fully state-owned digital health platform, the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), to replace the suspended Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS).

Speaking at a media engagement, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry’s decision follows extensive forensic and technical audits that uncovered serious contractual, technical, and data management breaches under the previous LHIMS arrangement.

According to findings presented by the Ministry’s consultants, the $100 million LHIMS contract, awarded in 2019 to connect 950 health facilities, was to be completed by 2022 but was extended twice after the contractor failed to meet key milestones.

By the final expiry in December 2024, only 450 of the 950 facilities had been connected, less than 50 percent completion, though the vendor had been paid over $77 million, representing more than 70 percent of the total contract value.

The forensic audit also revealed shortages and quality issues in hardware deliveries and installations, exposing the state to an estimated $29 million in unaccounted or substandard supplies.

The Minister noted that the vendor’s refusal to hand over administrative access and Ghana’s health data to the state resulted in repeated service disruptions and data blackouts, a situation he described as “pure blackmail.”

To address these lapses and ensure continuity of care, the Ministry has developed and deployed GHIMS, the Ghana Health Information Management System built entirely under state ownership and management.

The new system introduces a National Health Information Exchange, a secure integration layer that ensures no single vendor can monopolize Ghana’s health data again. The exchange allows various digital health service providers to plug in under strict regulatory supervision.

GHIMS also integrates seamlessly with the National Health Insurance Authority database, allowing real-time access to patient records nationwide, meaning a patient registered in Tamale can receive care in Accra without re-registration.

Hon. Akandoh announced a four-week phased rollout plan, starting with teaching and regional hospitals in the first week, followed by district hospitals, polyclinics, health centers, and CHPS compounds in subsequent weeks.

The Minister further indicated that the findings of the audit have been referred to the Attorney-General and relevant state security agencies for advice and appropriate action.