The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) announced it would take a few weeks to restore breached data following a cyber attack, while assuring the public that no patient data was compromised. However, delays in lab test results are impacting emergency patients and putting intensive care units at risk nationwide.
On June 22, 2024, the IT systems of NHLS were hacked, compromising backup systems as well. This breach has rendered lab test results and patient information inaccessible to clinicians across many healthcare centers.
As the primary provider of diagnostic pathology services for 80% of South Africa’s population, this incident has severely hindered healthcare delivery. Nationwide, major operations are being postponed due to over 6.3 million unprocessed blood tests, posing significant health risks to patients who require these results to monitor their conditions.
The NHLS, which operates over 265 laboratories nationwide, typically processes test results automatically from public health facilities and makes them available online. However, the cybersecurity breach has caused significant delays, particularly in the Gauteng health lab, amid ongoing attacks on the NHLS.
The NHLS confirmed that a ransomware attack caused a significant breach, deleting sections of their system, including backups. Rebuilding these parts will take considerable time, with no clear timeline for full restoration yet determined. In response, urgent results will be communicated via telephone to clinicians temporarily. This situation has raised concerns among healthcare centers, NHLS staff, and patients about the service’s operational continuity.
South Africa has recently become a prime target for cybercriminals. In January 2024, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) suffered a cyber attack. Similarly, in February 2024, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) also experienced a security breach.
Moreover, on June 29, 2024, healthcare providers in Kenya experienced technical issues with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) service portal, forcing patients to resort to cash payments instead.
