The Minority Caucus in Parliament has launched a fierce attack on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and Health Minister, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, following a nationwide shutdown of critical digital health platforms over an unpaid cloud hosting bill of US$64,510.95.
The disruption comes barely a year after the government announced the introduction of the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS) in October 2025 to replace the controversial Lightwave System (LHIMS), promising a resilient, state-owned platform for national healthcare data.
An internal memorandum issued on November 2, 2026, by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, revealed that cloud service provider Akamai suspended all 10 servers hosting national health portals on October 29, 2026, due to the outstanding arrears.
The blackout has disabled vital national databases, including the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS2), the Planning and Budget Management Information System (PBMIS), HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria trackers, as well as community health reporting portals. As a result, health facilities nationwide have been forced to revert to manual paper-based reporting.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Hon. Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, the Minority questioned how essential national infrastructure could be plunged into darkness over a relatively modest debt.
“How could critical national health information systems be suspended over an outstanding bill of just US$64,510.95? What happened to the promises surrounding GHIMS, which was introduced as the solution to Ghana’s previous digital health challenges?” Dr Afriyie queried.
The Minority expressed deep concern over the Ministry of Health’s financial management, noting that despite an increase in the ministry’s budget from approximately GH¢17.8 billion in 2025 to GH¢22.8 billion in 2026—a 28 per cent nominal rise—essential digital infrastructure was allowed to stall over administrative lapses.
“The NDC government must move beyond announcements and promises. Ghanaians deserve answers, accountability and a reliable healthcare information system,” the statement stressed.
While acknowledging assurances from the Ghana Health Service that encrypted backups remain secure and no data has been lost, the Minority insisted that data preservation without continuous access is insufficient for modern healthcare delivery.
The caucus is demanding the immediate restoration of all affected platforms, full public disclosure of funds spent on the GHIMS rollout, an independent audit of cloud hosting contracts, and parliamentary oversight to prevent future disruptions.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
