The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has blamed Lightwave Health Information Management System Limited for the recent breakdown of the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) electronic hospital management system.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, October 28, Mr. Akandoh revealed that the company had failed to fully implement a $100 million contract meant to connect health facilities across the country to the digital platform.
“The contract sum was $100 million to connect 950 health facilities in the entire country to the system. The contract was supposed to expire in 2022. In that year, the contract was extended twice to December 31, 2024. At the end of 2024, out of the 950 facilities, only 450 had been connected. Out of the $100 million, $77 million had been paid,” Mr. Akandoh told Parliament.
His comments follow the NHIA’s announcement on October 26 of a temporary disruption affecting some electronic hospital management systems nationwide.
The breakdown has led to widespread delays in record-keeping and patient processing, especially in the Ashanti Region, where hospitals have reverted to manual systems.
Many patients have voiced frustration over long waiting times and slower service delivery.