Digital Health Systems Shutdown: Afenyo-Markin Demands Health Minister Brief Parliament

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has demanded that the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, appear before Parliament to brief the House on the shutdown of the country’s digital health information systems.

The call comes after the disruption of critical health information systems, which reportedly resulted from the suspension of ten servers by technology company Akamai. The shutdown affected access to digital health records and other essential systems used in healthcare delivery.

Afenyo-Markin wants the Health Minister to provide a full account of the circumstances surrounding the disruption, including what caused it and what steps are being taken to restore the systems and prevent future occurrences. The Minority Leader’s demand underscores the seriousness with which Parliament views the matter, given the impact of the shutdown on healthcare services.

The disruption has raised concerns about the management and security of Ghana’s digital health infrastructure, particularly the arrangements with external technology providers. Afenyo-Markin’s call for the Minister to brief Parliament is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in how the situation is being handled.

By demanding the Minister’s appearance, the Minority Leader is seeking to compel the government to explain the lapse and to provide assurances that measures are in place to safeguard the health information systems. The move is likely to increase pressure on the Ministry of Health to address the concerns raised and to demonstrate that it is taking the matter seriously.

The shutdown of the digital health systems has highlighted the vulnerability of the country’s healthcare infrastructure to disruptions, and Afenyo-Markin’s demand for a parliamentary briefing signals that lawmakers intend to hold the government accountable for the incident and its aftermath.