Acting Minister of Health Douglas Syakalima announced that 427 health facilities will benefit from a $6.8 million solar project funded by the Global Fund. According to ZANIS, during the launch of the Solar for Health (S4H) and Joint SDG-Energy Transition projects, Mr. Syakalima emphasized that this initiative will enhance the country’s healthcare system and help reduce the carbon footprint in the health sector.
He expressed his happiness that the solar project is being introduced alongside the S4H project, which aims to build technical skills for operating solar systems at both provincial and district levels to ensure long-term sustainability.
The focus of the solar for health initiative will be on health centers and health posts, which are essential for providing healthcare access to millions of Zambians.
Mr. Syakalima also expressed gratitude to the Global Fund for supporting the government’s efforts to provide stable and reliable energy to public institutions.
Earlier, James Wakiaga, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, read a statement on behalf of UN Resident Coordinator Beatrice Mutali, highlighting that the project is timely.
Ms. Mutali pointed out that the UN is assisting the government in developing strategic measures to tackle the energy crisis that has negatively affected Zambia’s economy, worsened by last year’s prolonged drought.
Meanwhile, Micheal Mulasikwanda, Acting Director of the Ministry of Energy, noted that load shedding has disrupted key sectors like health and education, causing many health facilities to struggle with storing vaccines, blood, and operating essential medical equipment. He stressed that the solar project is vital for addressing the gaps in hydro power.
