Dr ʻAkauʻola said that hackers encrypted the system and demanded payment. Photo: 123RF
A team of Australian cyber experts flew to Tonga this week after the country's National Health Information System was breached, leading to a demand for payment from the hackers.
Talanoa O Tonga reports the Health Minister Dr ʻAna ʻAkauʻola saying the system has been shut down, and staff are handling data manually.
Dr ʻAkauʻola said that hackers encrypted the system and demanded payment, but she has assured MPs "the hackers won't damage the information" on the system.
This system was introduced in 2019 with Asian Development Bank (ADB) support to digitise Tonga's health records before going "live" in 2021.
Police Minister Paula Piukala was critical of past governments for ignoring warnings that Tonga's digital infrastructure is not fully prepared for these threats.
Journalist Sifa Pomana said the hackers are demanding millions of dollars, according to Tonga Police.
Residents are being urged to bring essential records to the hospital to help with manual record-keeping.
