Solar project helps resolve power outages in Malawi hospitals
As part of its plan to develop healthcare infrastructure in Malawi, the country’s Ministry of Health embarked on a $3,7m project to install solar energy at 85 health facilities nationwide. “The Ministry of Health contracted non-profit organisation PFSCM (The Partnership for Supply Chain Management) to procure and install the solar panels, and PFSCM awarded a subcontract to Resolve Solution Partners for the installation and a three-year maintenance programme,” explains Heinrich Strauss, managing director at Resolve. “This solar initiative aims to ensure the seamless delivery of healthcare services in the face of prolonged power outages that the country is currently experiencing,” he states.
“District hospitals and health centres in remote areas of Malawi have been the worst affected by power outages,” Strauss notes. “Big city hospitals have been less affected, although they have had to use generators to maintain operations at times, which are costly to run.”
Hospitals benefiting
According to Malawi’s Ministry of Health, the goal of this solar project is to prioritise saving lives and curbing power disruptions, especially in key hospital sections like theatres, maternity wings, intensive care units and the section for children under five. The hospitals that are benefiting include Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Zomba Central Hospital and Mzuzu Central Hospital. Each of these facilities will be fitted with solar panels providing 100kW of power. In addition to installing the panels, panel arrays and photovoltaic systems, Resolve’s contract includes the installation of solar powered streetlights at the hospitals, together with solar geysers and air conditioners. Heat reflecting paint will also be applied at 16 hospitals.
