Ghana’s healthcare faces chaos after the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) shutdown. Doctors lose access to patient data dating back to 2020, crippling hospitals nationwide.
Major Digital Health Breakdown Hits Ghana
Ghana’s healthcare delivery has been thrown into disarray after the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) — the digital backbone of public hospitals — abruptly went offline. The shutdown, now stretching into several weeks, has made medical records dating back to 2020 inaccessible across multiple facilities.
Doctors and nurses have been forced to revert to manual record-keeping using exercise books and patient folders. The sudden shift is slowing down care, increasing waiting times, and putting thousands of lives at risk.
Government Responds With New Digital Platform
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has confirmed that the government will roll out a new Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS) to replace LHIMS.
According to the Minister, the transition follows contractual disputes with LHIMS providers, accused of failing to meet obligations, including connecting over 900 health facilities to the national platform.
Despite the government’s assurances, medical professionals warn that the loss of data and service disruption could have long-term consequences for patient care and research.
Doctors Struggle Without Patient Records
At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), nephrologist Dr. Elliot Koranteng described the situation as “paralyzing.”
“Without patient history, we are practically tied,” he said. “We cannot track chronic conditions like kidney disease or know if treatment is working.”
Dr. Koranteng explained that missing lab results make it impossible to assess whether a patient’s kidney function is improving or deteriorating.
“If a patient’s creatinine level is 200, I can’t tell if they’ve improved from 300 or worsened from 100,” he added. “That uncertainty affects diagnosis and treatment decisions.”
Ethical and Technical Concerns Mount
Experts have raised alarm over Ghana’s repeated pattern of replacing digital health systems without proper data continuity. Dr. Koranteng questioned whether patients would now need new identity cards under GHIMS and how their medical histories would be merged.
He lamented that paper folders — once discarded for digital efficiency — now appear more reliable than the unstable electronic system.
“We’re back to writing in exercise books,” he said. “It’s ironic that paper records now offer more reliability than electronic medical systems.”
Risks to Research and Public Health Data
The data blackout doesn’t only affect hospitals. It has also disrupted medical research and public health programs that depend on longitudinal data.
“Many ongoing studies require access to historical patient records,” Dr. Koranteng warned. “Losing this data threatens not just healthcare but also Ghana’s scientific credibility.”
Healthcare professionals are urging the government to restore access to patient records immediately and ensure that future digital transitions safeguard data integrity.
They also recommend transparent collaboration between the Ministry of Health, system vendors, and medical associations to prevent another nationwide data collapse.
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