Health institutions in Ghana have been urged to treat cybersecurity with the same urgency as infection control to protect sensitive patient information and prevent unauthorised access to critical health data.
The Director of Administration of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Mrs Mercy Araba Kertson, said healthcare providers must strengthen digital security as hospitals increasingly rely on technology to deliver essential services.
She made the call in a speech delivered on behalf of the CSA Director-General, Mr Divine Selese Agbeti, at the launch of the cybersecurity awareness week organised by the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
Mrs Kertson emphasised that protecting healthcare systems required more than technological solutions, urging institutions to train staff to recognise and guard against common cyber threats.
She identified phishing as a common entry point for cyber attackers and called for stronger staff training and role-based access controls to protect clinical and research data from misuse.
“People are at the heart of robust cybersecurity measures,” she said, emphasising the need for healthcare workers to understand their responsibilities in safeguarding digital systems and sensitive information.
The programme formed part of the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), which seeks to promote good cyber hygiene practices and strengthen public awareness of cybersecurity risks.
Speaking on behalf of the hospital’s Board Chair, Professor Eric Adesa Tettey, who chaired the event, a representative cautioned that although digitalisation had improved healthcare delivery, it also exposed institutions to new risks.
Healthcare workers, the representative said, must recognise that they could become targets of cyberattacks and avoid granting unauthorised access to patient information.
A panel discussion at the event examined the importance of cyber hygiene and measures institutions could adopt to improve their resilience against cyber threats.
The awareness campaign also extended to the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, where the Acting Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Inusah, reminded staff that everyone who used a computer or the internet had a responsibility to protect government systems.
Officials of the CSA — Mr Theophilus Botchway, Dr Eric Kafui Bansah and Mr Nelson Herald Darko — delivered presentations during the session.
The campaign highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity awareness among public institutions as digital systems become increasingly central to the delivery of essential services.
By: Christian Kpesese
