DHIMS restored as Minority demands probe into health systems shutdown

The Ministry of Health has announced the full restoration of the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS), days after a nationwide disruption of critical electronic health information systems triggered concerns over the management of Ghana’s digital health infrastructure.

In a press release issued on Friday, 6 November, the Ministry said the system, managed by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), had been successfully restored and was now fully operational.

DHIMS supports the collection, collation and management of health information at the district level.

The Ministry expressed appreciation to stakeholders for their patience and understanding during the period of disruption.

It also clarified that the Ghana Health Information Management System (GHIMS), which hospitals use to manage patients’ information and medical records, was not affected and remained operational throughout the period.

According to the Ministry, the restoration forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen digital health systems and improve efficiency, data management and healthcare delivery across the country.

The statement was signed by Tony Goodman, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.

Independent audit

The restoration announcement comes against the backdrop of concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament, which earlier on Friday called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to the shutdown of critical health information systems.

In a press statement signed by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, the Minority expressed disappointment in the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service over the disruption.

The caucus questioned how an outstanding contractual payment of US$64,510.95 to technology services provider Akamai could result in the suspension of ten servers supporting critical national health information systems.

The Minority said the development raised serious concerns about the government’s financial planning, contract management and oversight of the country’s digital health infrastructure.

It recalled that in October 2025, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced the introduction of GHIMS to replace the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS).

The government had presented GHIMS as a state-owned platform intended to strengthen national control over health data and reduce dependence on private service providers.

The Minority, however, argued that the subsequent disruption of DHIMS2 and other digital platforms raised questions about the sustainability and coordination of the country’s digital health transformation.

It also questioned the resources committed to the digital health programme, noting that the Ministry of Health’s budget increased from approximately GH¢17.8 billion in 2025 to GH¢22.8 billion in 2026.

The caucus is demanding a detailed account of the specific budgetary allocations and expenditure on GHIMS and related digital infrastructure, including implementation progress and measurable outcomes.

Among its other demands, the Minority wants an investigation into the Akamai suspension to establish institutional responsibility and determine appropriate corrective action.

It is also calling for a comprehensive independent audit of Ghana’s digital health infrastructure, covering hosting arrangements, interoperability, data security and business continuity.

The caucus further wants the government to review its agreement with Akamai and consider terminating the contract where justified by the established facts and contractual provisions.

It has also called for sustainable financing arrangements and infrastructure safeguards to prevent similar disruptions.

The Minority maintained that Ghana’s digital health transformation must be measured by the reliability, accessibility and sustainability of systems serving the public rather than simply the introduction of new platforms.

It pledged to pursue parliamentary oversight to ensure accountability and prevent a recurrence.

Background

The Ghana Health Service’s electronic health information systems had been unavailable nationwide since 29 October, after its cloud hosting provider, Akamai, suspended access to ten servers over outstanding administrative and payment issues.

The disruption affected the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS2), the Planning and Budget Management Information System (PBMIS), eTracker, HIV and tuberculosis trackers, the National Malaria Data Repository (NMDR), the data-exchange gateway and other platforms.

In an internal memorandum dated 2 November, GHS Director-General Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea directed health facilities and districts to continue completing registers and monthly summary forms manually to ensure that October and November health data could be entered once the systems were restored.

He assured health officials that the shutdown had not resulted in a security breach or loss of data, explaining that encrypted backups were maintained outside the suspended account.

The GHS had disclosed that it was pursuing approval for US$64,510.95 to reinstate its account with Akamai and restore the affected platforms.

While the Ministry has confirmed that DHIMS is fully operational, its Friday statement did not specify whether the restoration also covers all the other platforms affected by the suspension.

The extent of the recovery of those systems therefore remains unclear.

The Minority’s press statement was issued earlier on November 6, while the Ministry’s restoration announcement was published at 6:37pm. The story therefore distinguishes the Minority’s earlier demands from the subsequent restoration announcement.

The key unresolved issue is whether all ten affected servers and associated platforms have been restored.