To achieve universal health coverage for its population, Ghanaian authorities are relying on various technological solutions. They have opted for a public-private partnership to reach their goal.

Ghanaian authorities are set to launch, today Octyober 16, the electronic health management system, known as E-Health, which will create digital patient records accessible across all hospitals in the country. 

The implementation of this system is a public-private partnership between Ghana’s Ministry of Health and Lightwave e-Health Solutions, a U.S.-based company specializing in e-health. 

“Going forward, medical records and the history of patients can be gathered under a single database, which can be accessed by any networked hospital when the patient visits. This digitization effort has increased efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity in service delivery in our health facilities,” stated Ghana’s Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia (photo).

This launch comes just months after the introduction of drone delivery solutions for medical supplies and online medicine purchasing from pharmacies. It aligns with the 2023-2027 Digital Health Policy and Strategy document, which aims to provide all communities in Ghana with timely, quality, and comprehensive healthcare through the use of information and communication technologies.

According to the Ministry of Health, the new system is expected to generate annual savings of between €50,000 ($54,000) and €300,000. It should also improve patient wait times by 35% to 40% in health centers and district hospitals, while regional and university hospitals could see a more than 40% reduction in wait times.

Adoni Conrad Quenum