Public health facilities across the Ashanti Region have been thrown into frustration as the breakdown of the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) has forced doctors and nurses to revert to manual, paper-based record keeping.
The system, which serves as the digital backbone for recording patient data and managing healthcare operations, has been offline for nearly a week, disrupting services and creating long queues in hospitals and clinics.
The shutdown has severely slowed medical service delivery, with many patients expressing anger and disappointment over the delays.
At the Ejisu Government Hospital, patients were seen clutching folders and exercise books as healthcare professionals struggled to document medical histories by hand. “I came here around 7 a.m., but it took hours before I was attended to. If I knew this was the situation, I would have gone to a private hospital,” one patient lamented.
Similar scenes have been reported at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Suntreso Government Hospital, where health workers have resorted to writing patient details manually, a method many describe as both exhausting and inefficient.
Health officers say the shift to manual documentation has not only slowed operations but also increased the risk of errors and loss of vital data. Some facilities even confirm losing electronic medical records dating back to 2023 due to the system crash.
At the Manhyia Government Hospital, management has begun experimenting with an alternative digital platform after a week of disruption. A visit to the facility showed a noticeable reduction in queues compared to earlier in the week.
Hospital authorities across the region are, however, calling for the immediate restoration of LHIMS, describing the digital platform as critical to efficient patient management and data security.
Until the system is restored, medical staff must continue the laborious manual record-keeping process, enduring physical strain and mounting frustration, while patients wait anxiously for the return of swift, technology-driven healthcare.
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