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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]

WITH the country experiencing increased load shedding due to the effects of climate change among other challenges, the installation of solar systems at most of the country’s health institutions is averting disasters and improving health care delivery.  

While the Second Republic has significantly invested in power generation following years of neglect, the country still has an electricity supply deficit worsened by climate change as Zimbabwe lost close to almost 1 000 megawatts at Kariba Hydro Power Station due to low water levels.

The demand for power has seen members of the public and private sector heavily investing in renewable energy to complement power supplies from the grid.

However, the health sector has stood out as one of those to have embraced alternative energies to improve healthcare delivery as more clinics and hospitals both in urban and rural areas have installed solar energy.

In most parts of the country, a large number of panels are found at health institutions.

In a recent report, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) describes the intrinsic relationship between power supply and efficiency in delivery of health care.

“Healthcare has been among the systems most affected by this massive power deficit. Health clinics, maternity wards, surgery blocks, medical warehouses and laboratories all rely on electricity to refrigerate medicines, power lights, operate life-saving medical devices and manage relevant data and information,” reads a section of the report.

As a result, UNDP has partnered the Government in solarising some hospitals and clinics among them Bulawayo’s Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals.

Professionals in the health sector have hailed the installation of solar systems within clinics and hospitals saying it is having a positive impact in the delivery of health care.

Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said while the solar system is yet to be connected to the clinical procedures of the hospital, equipping the health sector institutions with solar systems can improve health care delivery in the country.

“Solar is an excellent renewable source of energy. We should aim to use it as it is becoming a more reliable source with lithium batteries. It can be installed in both rural and urban areas providing power that is reliable, this would allow lifesaving operations to be done. This could have the country reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Solarising our hospital in the clinical areas will allow us to carry out operations without incessant disruptions, thereby vastly improving patients’ care and clinical outcomes,” said Prof Ngwenya.

He said while adopting solar energy is a noble efficient system in health care delivery, it remains a very expensive investment to fully power hospitals.

National University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine executive dean Professor Elopy Sibanda, said solar systems at hospitals are critical as power outages can randomly occur even during theatre procedures.

“It is very essential, let me give you a super example, imagine doctors are in the theatre operating on a patient and the power goes, that becomes disruptive to the procedure. So it is very essential to have an alternative power source,” said Prof Sibanda.

“However, there are two levels of solar power, the one which is connecting lights which is generally inadequate and the second which connects heavy machines which is generally expensive. So theoretically, it is possible for health institutions to experience power cuts while servicing clients. That is why giant hospitals used generators as backup systems but diesel was increasingly becoming expensive hence it is better to have renewable power.”

Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director Dr Phillip Muza said the solar systems have become an important back-up system especially looking at the Zesa power interruptions.

He said the solar systems have come in handy especially for rural clinics as some medicines must maintain cold temperatures for them to be effective.

“This ensures that health systems that depend on electricity like the electronic health record system, laboratory information management systems, immunisation cold chain, among others are functioning optimally. This minimises service interruptions and ensures accessibility of health services to the members of the public. Challenges faced without power include service delivery gaps from non-functional equipment and systems,” said Dr Muza.

He said solar powered clinics have also increased the confidence in the treatment given on patience as medical services offered in darkness culminates in low quality of services.

Dr Muza said working in a properly lit clinic or hospital is an incentive for workers in the health sector. 

Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Timios Kwidini said the solarizing of health institutions is part of Government efforts to improve efficiency in running health centres.

“Due to climate change, the country has experienced reduced power generation in places such as hydro power stations due to low water levels. But the country has abundant energy that can be derived from solar. We have sun almost 75 percent through the year and we have resolved to solarize our health institutions,” said Deputy Minister Kwidini.

“This reduces the cost related in running of our health centres as solely depending on electricity was becoming expensive for most health centres. Most of the clinics and hospitals are now using a pre-paid electricity system so solar systems become a backup to avoid load shedding or when payments are delayed. Also some of the medicines needed to maintain certain cold chain temperatures and in the event of power cuts those medicines would lose their potency meaning the ministry will lose money in the process.”

He said as health care is a 24-hour service, there is a critical need for continuous power supply as doctors sometimes need to conduct emergency operations.

Deputy Minister Kwidini said the Government is targeting complete solarisation of health centres.

“So, having power cuts would mean postponing some of these critical services. X-rays also require electricity meaning without this it becomes a challenge. But with a solarised system it means there are no gaps whether there is electricity or not as power supply will be consistent. 

“While I don’t have the actual statistics, we have solarized between 65 percent and 70 percent of the health centres, we now have installed solar in all our provincial hospitals, district hospitals and in the process of installing solar in most of the clinics,” said Deputy Minister Kwidini.

Power and Energy Development Minister Edgar Moyo, said the country’s renewable energy policy has facilitated the increased adoption of solar systems within the country.

“Solar power has transformed institutions and brought dignity to our people. Imagine a woman delivering in a health facility without proper lighting. Even some of the medicine would be needing refrigeration. So we are definitely seeing the benefits of the renewable energy policy  which allows citizens to import renewable energy equipment. If you have realised the prices of the renewable energy equipment has drastically reduced,” said Minister Moyo.

He encouraged citizens and institutions to continue investing in renewable energies. – @nqotshili.