Junior Opposition Spokesperson on Science and Technology Omar Newell welcomes the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) disclosure that its IT system was hacked.
However, Newell says the cyberattack is worrying as he calls for additional detail regarding the breach.
Information that SERHA’s IT systems had been hacked was first brought to the public’s attention by a release from Newell on Wednesday.
But SERHA’s response failed to address other allegations such as ransoms being demanded of SERHA, its position on the ransom and when the cyberattack was brought to the attention of SERHA’s leadership and the Ministry of Health.
SERHA admitted in a release that the cyberattack has affected some information and communications technologies (ICT) and other services to the public but some of the services offered by the health department have been restored.
The release said in keeping with the protocols, the Regional Health Authority has called in the services of the relevant Government agencies for greater protection and it looks forward to the full restoration of its services in the Region.
He wants SERHA to indicate whether a server containing critical details related to cancer patients and any other patients of SERHA has been impacted and is accessible to hackers.
Newell further states: “The very first communication received by me on Wednesday, January 11 suggested that there would be a move on the part of the ministry to cover up this hacking. It is very unfortunate that my source has proven correct. Modern governance demands a higher level of transparency than the Ministry of Health and Wellness has demonstrated in this instance.
“Minister Tufton should inform the country on whether the Ministry of Health and Wellness and/or SERHA has an IT oversight committee, whether and when eGov and/or JaCIRT have been brought in to assist, and whether the matter has in fact been referred to law enforcement.”
