By Florence Afriyie Mensah
Kumasi Oct. 08, GNA – The Cyber Security Authority has re-echoed the need for health facilities to safeguard data as digitisation of the health sector accelerates.
The issue, according to the Authority, is critical not only for protecting individual privacy but also for ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of the healthcare systems.
To effectively secure health data, the Authority suggests health institutions implement key strategies including encryption.
Madam Mercy Araba Kertson, the Head of Administration, Cyber Security Authority, who made the call, stressed the need for health institutions to train staff to fight common tactics such as phishing, which is the most entry point for attackers.
They should also apply role-based access controls for both clinical and research data to prevent privilege misuse.
She was speaking at the 2026 Cyber Security Awareness Week of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
“People are at the heart of robust cyber security measures, so it is vital to train staff against common tactics such as phishing, which is the most common entry point for attackers, and apply role-based access controls for both clinical and research data to prevent privilege misuse,” she stated.
The United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) emphasises that encryption, coupled with strong access control measures, is one of the most effective ways to protect sensitive information from unauthorised access.
Madam Kertson pointed out that cyber security was not just an information technology issue, but patient safety issue.
Healthcare services and providers must, therefore, treat digital resilience with the same urgency as infection control.
By investing in comprehensive cybersecurity strategies and especially cyber security awareness, the healthcare sector could position itself as a crucial front line against emerging threats and help build stronger, more resilient digital ecosystems.”
According to a 2026 publication by Microsoft, medical records are a premium target for cybercriminals.
In the USA, researchers found that patient records, insurance details, and research data fetch premium prices on the dark web, up to 10 times higher than financial data, according to cybersecurity analysts.
Globally, healthcare institutions remain highly attractive targets for cybercriminals, with the sector accounting for 17 percent of all global ransomware attacks – the highest share of any industry.
Madam Kertson stated that these healthcare institutions remained attractive targets because they hold valuable personal and financial information and could not simply stop operating when systems were attacked.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that ransomware attacks on healthcare infrastructure are not just data security breaches, but direct “issues of life and death” as systemic disruptions bring essential medical services to a halt.
She said Ghana was not outside this reality, adding that, the Cyber Security Authority’s engagements and assessments within the health sector had identified vulnerabilities, including outdated systems and weak password practices that could expose institutions to cyber threats.
Professor Yaw Ampem Amoako, Medical Director, KATH, indicated that, the hospital was committed to the delivery of highest quality care, training and research to Ghanaians.
That commitment, he noted, could be sustained only when the hospital’s digital environment remained safe, resilient and trustworthy.
Prof Amoako commended the KATH’s Information Technology (I.T) Unit for its consistency in the annual organization of the Cyber Security Awareness Week.
This year’s celebration is themed “Cyber Hygiene for Healthcare Workers: Preventing Financial Fraud and Cyber Attacks”.
The celebration encompasses a high-level symposium, a publicity street float, I.T exhibition, intensive workshops for KATH staff and outreach sessions to Ghana Health Service facilities.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Florence Afriyie Mensah
Email address: [email protected]