By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Data Protection Commission (DPC) has announced the commencement of an
investigation into matters relating to access to patient data managed by
LightWave eHealthCare Solutions under a previous contract with the Ministry of
Health (MoH). The probe concerns data associated with the implementation of the
National Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Patient Management System.
According
to the Commission, the investigation, supervised by the Minister for
Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, is being conducted in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA),
and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA). The goal is to determine
whether personal health data has been securely managed in accordance with the
Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843).
The
DPC stated that the investigation will focus on how affected data is being
stored and managed, assess compliance with lawful processing, retention, and
security requirements, and ensure that the rights of data subjects are
protected.
The
Commission said it would engage all relevant stakeholders, including LightWave
eHealthCare Solutions, the Ministry of Health, and associated service partners,
while working closely with CSA and NITA to ensure a transparent and efficient
process.
In
a statement, the DPC assured the public that the investigation will be
conducted objectively and in line with due process. It reaffirmed its
commitment to safeguarding personal data, especially sensitive health
information, and to maintaining public trust in Ghana’s digital ecosystem.
