The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwifery Association, Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, has highlighted that despite the widespread use of smartphones, Ghana is still not fully ready for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into healthcare without stronger training, public education, and clear regulatory guidelines.
Speaking at the Africa Digital Dialogue under the theme “AI in Healthcare: Ghana’s Readiness,” hosted by MG Digital in partnership with the Digital Foundation Africa on Friday, November 14, 2025, she noted that AI knowledge must be intentionally targeted at all health professionals.
The dialogue forms part of the ongoing Africa Digital Festival (ADF) Dialogue Series, an annual event celebrating innovation and digital transformation across the continent. This session explored how AI can transform healthcare delivery in Ghana and the capacity required to support its implementation.
Perpetual Ofori Ampofo stressed that although health workers frequently use smartphones, the sector still lacks the structured training and regulatory frameworks needed to safeguard both practitioners and patient information.
“The fact that we run around using our smartphones means we are kind of ready, but we still need education, a lot of training. We need to put in regulatory systems and policies to be sure we are protected as workers and that patient information is well protected. Acquisition of knowledge when it comes to AI should be targeted at all health professionals.”
She further stated that meaningful technological transformation requires substantial investment. According to her, some regional health facilities still struggle with dysfunctional software systems, slowing down data processes and limiting the time healthcare workers can dedicate to patient care.
“Investing in technology requires substantial funding. In regional facilities, even though laptops are used to collect data, software system issues slow down processes and reduce the time healthcare workers can spend with patients.”
On his part, the Director of Licensing at the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency, Dr. Bernard Kwanin, emphasized that AI usage must be properly directed. He noted that many young people currently use AI primarily for entertainment rather than personal development, calling for a shift toward learning and growth.
Dr. Bernard Kwanin, Director of Licensing at the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency.
“We need to be able to direct our AI usage. Our generation is using AI now, but they’re not using it toward the expected goals. If you spend three hours on the internet, two hours should be toward growth and one hour for entertainment, but we often spend all three hours on entertainment.”
Dr. Kwanin also highlighted that AI relies on strong infrastructure to analyze patient information, but capacity-building remains a major challenge across generations.
“AI sits in infrastructure where you’re able to use artificial intelligence to evaluate the information you get from your patients. The challenge we experience is building capacity. We have three generations: the current generation, who are technology savvy, those born before computers, and those not interested in computers. If we’re able to close those gaps, accepting AI will be much easier. We have to focus on building capacity for all these groups.”
