- Six Sierra Leone hospitals are now powered by solar energy.
- SEforALL project completed installations in 2023.
- The UK-funded initiative tackles unreliable power in healthcare.
Six leading hospitals in Sierra Leone have transitioned to clean, reliable, and affordable energy. Thanks to solar power systems installed with battery storage.
Managed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the project completed installations in late 2023. The hospitals include Ola During Children’s Hospital (ODH), Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH), Masanga Hospital, and government hospitals in Kambia, Kabala, and Bonthe.
With a total power capacity of 0.6 megawatt-peak, these hospitals can now provide critical medical care around the clock.
“We are delighted to see hospitals like Kambia, Bonthe, and Masanga sporting solar panels, which provide them with reliable, clean power,” said SEforALL Sierra Leone Country Manager Ngozi Beckley-Lines. Communities can expect greatly improved service delivery and round-the-clock critical medical care.
Unreliable power is a significant challenge for healthcare systems in Africa, leading to life-threatening complications and preventable deaths. In Sierra Leone, 38% of health facilities lack access to power. High mortality rates among neonates, infants, and children, along with maternal deaths, exacerbate the problem.
The Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project aims to solve this issue. Supported by UK funding and partners like Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health, Crown Agents, and EM-ONE Energy Solutions Canada, the project is expanding to include additional hospitals and community health centres nationwide.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, Dr. Austin Demby, praised the collaboration. He expressed confidence in the nation’s progress toward universal access and sustainable energy.
SEforALL views this project as a model for electrifying health facilities across Sierra Leone and beyond. It also promotes local renewable energy workforces through its ‘Women in STEM’ program. They are engaging 12 young women trainees in the renewable energy sector.