Health Ministry orders probe into $100m E-Records project as audit uncovers massive delivery gaps

Ghana’s Ministry of Health has initiated major accountability measures after a forensic audit uncovered extensive lapses in the $100 million national electronic medical records project awarded to Lightwave E-Health Solutions.

The project, launched under the previous administration, was intended to digitalise medical records in more than 900 health facilities nationwide.

But after years of funding and extensions, a significant portion of the system remains non-functional — and the State may not have received full value for money.

According to Ministry documents, by the time the contract expired on 31 December 2024, Lightwave had already been paid about $77 million, representing nearly 80% of the total contract value.

However, only around 450 facilities — just half of the expected number — could be verified as fully operational.

The forensic audit, commissioned by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, revealed widespread shortcomings across the project’s three-year implementation cycle.

The audit documented substantial gaps including:

1. Undelivered Year-3 Sites

• Of 157 facilities scheduled for completion in Year 3, only 7 were confirmed as delivered.

• The full milestone value of $10.6 million had already been paid.

• No valid bank guarantee was provided for the advance payments.

2. Nearly $19 Million in Missing Equipment

• Hardware items the State had fully paid for could not be located.

• Missing items included:

  • 6,000 desktops

  • 3,600 tablets

  • 2,200 switches and load balancers

  • 370+ communication masts and grounding systems

3. Lower-Spec Devices Installed

Several devices delivered did not meet the specifications listed in the contract and reportedly failed shortly after installation.

4. Poor Integration With National Health Databases

• A large number of facilities were not integrated with DHIMS2, limiting the system’s usefulness for national health reporting.

5. Weak Performance Security

• The contractor’s performance guarantee was significantly below the required 10% of the contract sum.

• It was also not issued by a Ghanaian bank, contrary to contract terms.

6. Limited State Control of Health Data

The audit found that the government did not have full, independent access to its own servers and patient data — a major national security concern.

The report further alleges that the vendor remotely switched the system on and off during discussions about contract renewal and handover, disrupting operations in some facilities.

Health workers in multiple regions reported being unable to access patient records during these incidents.

In response to the audit, Minister Akandoh took steps considered unusual in Ghana’s political landscape:

• He referred the matter to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

• He forwarded the audit findings to the Attorney-General for criminal and civil review.

• He directed the Ministry, NHIA, NITA and other state agencies to reclaim full control of all health data infrastructure.

• He endorsed a transition toward more secure, state-led digital systems, including GHIMS and a national health information exchange architecture.

  
  

Sources at the Ministry say the Minister resisted pressure to quietly extend the contract or negotiate outside of official state processes.

The case is expected to trigger nationwide debate over:

• Oversight of large ICT contracts

• The protection of national data

• Advance payments without adequate verification

• Vendor control over critical public systems

  
  

Governance experts warn that the findings point to systemic weaknesses in contract enforcement.

EOCO has begun preliminary reviews, while the Attorney-General’s office is examining potential breaches related to:

• Procurement violations

• Misrepresentation

• Possible financial loss to the State

• Data governance risks

  
  

The Ministry is also undertaking infrastructure verification across all facilities.

While the fate of the contractor will be determined by investigative and legal processes, analysts say the Minister’s decision to escalate the matter signals a firm shift in how public contracts may be handled going forward.

For now, the Ministry insists that no private vendor will again be allowed to hold control over national patient data — a position many health sector stakeholders have welcomed.

The investigation continues.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith