Spokesperson of the Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed that in the quest to transform the economy into a digital one, the incumbent government has ensured that all hospitals are placed on an automated system.
Dr Gideon Boako said all regional hospitals across the country have gone digital.
He said that the automated systems are to keep track of the medical records of patients without having to use a physical folder and prescription forms, which takes up space at health centres.
This, he said, is part of the Vice President’s initiative to make the medical system a paperless one.
“What is happening with this automation is that, when you move from Tamale to Korle-Bu, and you sit in front of the medical doctor, all that he would need is your ID and then your name. Every medical history that Tamale Teaching Hospital has about you will reflect on the computer of the Physician at Korle-Bu.
“So he doesn’t have to ask you questions of what drugs you have taken before. All those medical history will be there. And if you’re asked to go to the pharmacy for a drug, or so, you don’t need to be given a paper. You just go there, the pharmacy has the information about you”.
He revealed that currently only 36 hospitals and health facilities in the Central Region have been automated.
“But across the region, all the regional hospitals have been automated. And we’re escalating it to other health facilities”.
Although there are over 5,000 health facilities across the country, Dr Boako said that government’s target is to get all these facilities under the automated system radar.
He acknowledged that there would be challenges in getting all health facilities onboard, and pleaded that these facilities cooperate to make the facilitation process a smooth one.
“If we’re able to get the cooperation of all the health facilities in this exercise, once the systems have been put in place, not like we’re not going to test the system; it will help. It’s working in other health facilities. So it shouldn’t be so difficult for us to get them. We may face some difficulties but we’re hoping that we would be able to scale through this and get it done. It’s best we get it done. It helps all of us,” he said.