Mchinji District Hospital gets portable solar lights
SolarAid Malawi, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has donated 30 solar lamps and 20 portable solar lanterns to Mchinji District Hospital for lighting isolation centres and temporary screening sites.
SolarAid Malawi general manager Brave Mhone said most of the isolation and screening centres government has constructed do not have electricity yet.
He said health workers, as front-line team in fighting the novel coronavirus (Covid-19)pandemic, need all resources and tools at their disposal to do their work properly and that light is one of the most important tools.
“We have the responsibility to take part in fighting the pandemic. So, we are supporting government’s Covid-19 response,” said Mhone.
Mchinji District director of health and social services Juliana Kanyengambeta commended the organisation for the donation.
“There are times when there are blackouts which makes it difficult for health workers to help patients. The lamps, therefore, will ensure that services are not interrupted,” she said.
Department of Health technical support services assistant director Harold Chimphepo said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the organisation and the Ministry of Health for SolarAid to provide solar systems to public hospitals in the country.
He said the ministry is facing a number of challenges, including lack of energy in most rural facilities.
Chimphepo appealed to the corporate world to emulate SolarAid, saying the ministry has a huge gap in energy.
The organisation plans to reach Karonga, Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Mwanza districts.
