Deputy Spokesperson for the Bawumia Campaign, Dr. Ekua Amoakoh, has raised concerns about the Ministry of Health’s decision to replace the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) with the new Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS). She has demanded evidence of any audit report that justifies the ministry’s claims of non-performance against LHIMS.
Speaking on The AM Show on JoyNews, Dr. Amoakoh said there is no public record of any evaluation or performance assessment supporting the ministry’s move. “I haven’t seen any audit report, just as Hamza said, so when you say non-performance, what exactly do you mean?” she questioned, adding that her experience with LHIMS proves its capability and reliability.
Having worked at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital during the system’s introduction, Dr. Amoakoh explained that LHIMS was successfully functioning and nearing 70% national coverage before the contract was abruptly terminated. She noted that the few institutions yet to adopt the platform were smaller health centres and district hospitals.
Dr. Amoakoh warned that the ministry’s switch to a new platform managed by different vendors could fragment Ghana’s unified health data system, undermining the goal of seamless information sharing. “It’s better to use one system because then you can network it, and that was the goal,” she emphasized.
She further suggested that the decision might have been influenced by non-technical motives. “I smell a rat. The only logical conclusion is that the minister just wants to change the contract for reasons he alone knows,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has defended the transition, claiming that the GHIMS platform will improve interoperability and enhance data management. The development has sparked wider calls for transparency and an independent audit into the contract change.
