The Ministry of Health said it is committed to installing solar dependent equipment in health facilities that are not connected to the national power grid.
Health Deputy Minister Enock Phale said this on Monday during the official handover of a solar system at Chiwoza Health Centre, Senior Chief Chiseka in Lilongwe.
”We are committed to ensuring that all health facilities have clean sources of energy as well as uninterrupted power supply for use when operating medical equipment,” he said.
Phale said power in healthcare services would help service providers offer effective services.
”Over 84 percent of people in the country live in rural areas and 24 percent of the people live within eight kilometres of a health facility.It is the desire of the government, using every available opportunity and Ministry of Health personnel, to ensure equitable access to basic health services among others,” the deputy minister said.
He said access to healthcare services remained a key challenge due to, among others things, inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
Phale said it was sad to note that Chiwoza Health Center had been in operation for eight years without electricity.
”I would like to appeal to staff at the facility and communities around it to ensure that they take care of the solar powered system,” he said.
Phale thanked the GaviAlliance, through United Nations Children Fund(Unicef), for providing financial assistant to the provision of solar powered system to 20 health facilities in the country.
He disclosed that the health facilities are in Mzimba, Kasungu, Ntchisi, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Machinga and Nsanje.
Deputy Unicef Country Resident Representative, Derrit Maritz said the solar system would provide 24/7 electricity power backup and make health infrastructure more climate resilient.
He said the system could power all essential health equipment such as sterilizers, microscopes, water pump, lights and vaccine refrigerators and freezers without interruption.
Lilongwe Nsinja lawmaker Bintony Kutsaira asked the Ministry of Health to consider expanding Chiwoza Health Center as it has many people to serve.
Source: The Daily Times_March 16, 2022_By Tione Andsen-Mana