The Sunday News
Sithatshisiwe Vuma, Sunday News Reporter
CLINICS in the Silobela will now be able to store medicines in standard condition for longer periods following the installation of solar systems at nine health facilities in the area.
The solar systems were installed under a programme by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Government and a Danish company to boost rural health services and empower clinics in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Msilahobe, Dambridge, Malisa Joseph, Mazebe, Sigezibubi, Mayoca, Exchange, Muchape and Donsa Dam clinics all benefited from the Solar for Health (S4H) Zimbabwe programme installed by Solar Energy Products Zimbabwe in April.
Silobela Member of Parliament Cde Mtokozisi Manoki-Mpofu said the solar systems provides 5kw for each clinic, enough to provide them with lighting purposes ending the use of candles by staff at night during maternity cases and allowing clinics to operate their fridges.
“Our clinic staff was suffering at night in labour rooms when delivering babies because candles were not providing enough light, now thanks to Government which has seen it fit to provide us with solar systems. In 2018, we had planned to connect the clinics to the national grid and we used the entire Constituency Development Funds (CDF) for tubing all the clinics.
“However, this did not materialise as planned but we are now happy the installed solar systems will easily feed into the infrastructure.”
Cde Manoki-Mpofu said the solar power is powering fridges that are storing Covid-19 vaccines and all the vaccines that need to be refrigerated.
“As the country fights coronavirus, our health practitioners need all the assistance they can get,” he said.
Meanwhile, in April the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society donated PPEs and other Covid-19 fighting materials to Silobela District Hospital.
The health institution received 10 infra-red lamps, 2 000 non-sterile gowns, 5 000 face masks, 8 000 examination gloves, 500 scrub suits and 60 sanitisers to assist in the fight against the disease.
