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Lightwave E-Healthcare Solutions Limited has refuted what it describes as “false and misleading” allegations made by Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, concerning the management of Ghana’s National E-Healthcare Programme and the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS).
In a statement issued in Accra, the fully Ghanaian-owned technology company said the Minister’s recent assertions—made in Parliament on October 28 and during the Presidential Accountability Series on October 29—implied that Ghana’s medical data was being controlled from India. Lightwave described the claims as inaccurate and potentially damaging to public confidence in the country’s digital health infrastructure.
According to the company, all medical data generated through LHIMS is stored exclusively on the Ministry of Health’s servers at its headquarters in Accra. Lightwave emphasised that its role is limited to providing licensed software, while the government maintains full ownership and control of all health records.
“The healthcare data of Ghanaians is the property of the Government of Ghana and is stored within the Ministry of Health’s servers in Accra,” the statement read, calling the Minister’s remarks “false and unfortunate.”
The company said it was compelled to respond publicly to prevent misinformation from eroding trust in a system developed and deployed since 2016.
Project Background and Cost Structure
Lightwave outlined the evolution of the e-health project, beginning with Phase One in 2016 under former President John Dramani Mahama. The initial phase cost US$6 million and connected 23 health facilities in the Central Region.
Following its success, the Ministry of Health signed a second contract in March 2019, valued at US$100 million, to expand the system to 950 facilities nationwide. The company explained that project costs were weighted based on the complexity of the facility type—not evenly spread across all institutions.
- The four teaching hospitals alone represented 21% of the contract value.
- All 646 health centres accounted for just 17% of the cost.
By December 2024, Lightwave had deployed systems in all four teaching hospitals, six regional hospitals, and 243 district and other hospitals—representing 72% of the project scope and corresponding to the US$77 million (77%) disbursed by the Ministry.
Delays Caused by Payment Bottlenecks and External Factors
Lightwave attributed delays in the expansion project primarily to prolonged payment gaps and administrative challenges. Although payments were contractually required within 36 days of invoice submission, the company said it frequently waited between five and twenty months, causing significant operational strain.
The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted the rollout, affecting staff training, limiting facility space, and slowing global supply chains. Temporary port closures in Ghana also contributed to equipment delays.
The company added that although the Ghana Health Service provided a prioritised rollout list in 2023, a 12-month extension of the contract was delayed for nearly six months because the revised list was not issued in time.
Despite the contract officially expiring on December 31, 2024, Lightwave said it continued to provide support services throughout 2025—without renewal and without payment for additional work completed.
Hardware Quality and Delivery Clarified
Responding to claims that it supplied poor-quality or insufficient hardware, Lightwave insisted that all equipment met or exceeded contractual specifications, and that any substitutions were made under the contract’s “substantial equivalence” provision.
The company stated that neither the Ministry nor any health facility reported issues with the hardware. On laptop quantities, Lightwave clarified that the contract required 9,544 laptops, not 13,172, and that 7,060 units have already been delivered, with the remainder earmarked for facilities yet to be rolled out.
Minister Asked for Invoices Despite Public Denials — Lightwave
Lightwave also referenced a meeting in September 2025 at which the Minister reportedly directed the company to submit invoices for eight months of outstanding arrears—contradicting his subsequent public claim that no payments were owed.
Through its solicitors, Messrs Lord & Lords Legal Practice, Lightwave has requested arbitration and access to all investigation reports related to the LHIMS project, saying this is necessary to protect patient data and ensure the continuity of digital health services.
Company Calls for Evidence-Based Review
Reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Ghana’s digital health systems, Lightwave urged the government to pursue a fair, evidence-based review of the National E-Healthcare Programme, free from political rhetoric and misinterpretation of technical data.
