By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Kenema District Health Management Team (DHMT) has on the 30th June, 2021, received sixty solar panels for use in the Peripheral Health Units across the district.
Presenting the items to the team, the representative from Tara Energy, the company charged with the installation of the solar panels at the PHUs, Mohamed Kamara said the support was due to the many concerns from health sector workers on the lack of adequate electricity in the health facilities.
He advised the community to take good care of the solar panels that would be installed and that they should not be over used during the day.
“The system should be allowed to charge so that it can serve the people effectively during delivery at night. It should be used more for emergency maternal cases,” he said.
The District Medical Officer Kenema, Dr. Donald Grant said the initiative is to ensure that all the peripheral health units get electricity at all the delivery wards as part of efforts to reduce maternal deaths.
He pointed out that the lights provided belong to the community and that they should own it as they were not the property of any individual. He therefore admonished the nurses at the various health centers to take good care of the lights so that when it was time for monitoring, the partners will be motivated that they were utilized properly.
Fallah Albert Bockarie a Civil Society representative described the gesture as a big development for the health sectors as electricity has been one of the cries of the paramount chiefs during their engagement with the minister of health and sanitation.
Bockarie advised the DHMT to ensure that proper monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure sustainability of those solar panels.
The chairman Health Committee for Kenema District Council, Councilor Umaru Dabor, said the items are important and timely for their communities.
He commended GIZ for their intervention as energy supply has been a challenge to the health sector for the communities and the health workers. He admonished the councilors to be part of the monitoring team to make sure that it’s been utilized for its intended purpose in serving the health facilities as that will help reduce maternal death especially complicated cases.
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