The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Power Africa program has awarded a grant to renewable energy company SolarWorks! Mozambique to install off-grid solar powered electrical systems in rural health facilities. The Embassy of the U.S in Mozambique made the announcement for the implementation of the project during the commemoration of the International Day of Light last week.
The project will be fully implemented with an investment of $320,000, to provide electricity to 92 health facilities in Sofala province of Mozambique. The solar systems will have a total generating capacity of 55.2 kWp (kilowatt-peak) and storage capacity of 220.8 kWh (kilowatt-hours). With these new systems, each of the 92 healthcare facilities will have sufficient power to run key equipment like lighting, phone charging, vacuum aspirator, gynecological examination lamp, CD4 machine, microscope, and computer equipment.
SolarWorks! will work in close coordination with the Sofala provincial health directorate to ensure the project is efficiently executed across all the 92 facilities in the province.
Solar systems to ensure smooth delivery of healthcare
The solar systems will be crucial in ensuring quality healthcare delivery without the inconvenience of irregular power supply. For example, if a woman goes into labor at night, the doctor assisting will have the light and equipment necessary to help safely deliver her baby. Having power for laptops, printers, and the internet will also make medical data collection and sharing easier. The grant from USAID/Power Africa also covers operational and maintenance costs of the solar energy systems for one year.
Efficient health services and responses to diseases — including COVID-19 — depend on reliable access to electricity. Health facilities require it to power essential medical and sterilization equipment, refrigerate medicines and vaccines, coordinate care and share information with other medical professionals. Yet, in Sofala province 90 percent of health facilities have no regular access to electricity.
Energy access part of U.S in Mozambique
U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne said, “The USAID/Power Africa award demonstrates what can be accomplished when the public and private sectors work together to address a problem. With a modest amount of funding from the U.S. Government, we are able to incentivize private sector engagement like this one, which will improve healthcare services for thousands in Sofala province.”
Increased access to energy supply and improved health infrastructure represent critical components of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique. In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $500 million in annual assistance to improve the