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SEforALL and Partners Power Climate-Resilient Healthcare in Sierra Leone with Solar Energy

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Sallu Kamuskay
By Sallu Kamuskay  - Journalist and Public Relations Expert 5 Min Read
5 Min Read
SEforALL
SEforALL

Through the Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project, SEforALL and partners are installing solar power systems in 11 more health facilities under Phase 3, after successful Phases 1 and 2. A total of 43 facilities will soon have round-the-clock electricity supply, leading to improved healthcare and lower emissions from reduced generator usage.

The project is funded by the UK Government and is being implemented by SEforALL in close coordination with the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health and on-ground support from EM-One Solutions, Tetra Tech and CEMMATS Group Ltd.

SEforALL
SEforALL

As part of the quarterly review, project partners including representatives from SEforALL and the UK Government visited four hospitals in Freetown last week to monitor the installations – Lakka Government Hospital, King Harman Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Connaught Hospital and Rokupa Government Hospital. Systems ranging from 100 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar with 190 kilowatt-hour (kWh) batteries to 760 kWp solar with 1225 kWh batteries have been installed in these facilities.

Project Impact

The transition to solar energy is lowering the reliance on diesel generators that were powering the health facilities, either as a backup in on-grid hospitals or as a primary power source in off-grid hospitals in rural and last-mile communities. This in turn is leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions.  Phase 1 of the project has yielded great results with a reduction in diesel generator usage by 52 per cent in six prominent hospitals across Sierra Leone including the Ola During Children’s Hospital and the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital.

Sierra Leone is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the effects of climate change, with increasing occurrences of extreme heat, heavy rainfall, floods and droughts. Solar electrification in healthcare facilities is providing a stable and renewable source of energy, ensuring that medical services can continue during power outages in rural and last-mile communities. The Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project is improving the resilience of these facilities to the impact of climate change and helping alleviate public health risks.

This work is a critical part of Sierra Leone’s commitment to going green, and strongly aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions. The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Jalikatu Mustapha emphasised, “We’re making sure that we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, that we reduce the emissions of the health sector so that we don’t contribute to the problem. All this whilewe are also ensuring our health facilities have reliable and sustainable energy to fully function, even during extreme weather events.”

The journey so far

The Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project was launched in October 2022 by project partners who pledged to transform healthcare in Sierra Leone. The SEforALL Sierra Leone Country Manager, Ngozi Beckley-Lines affirmed this: “Solar panels have been installed in hospitals across Sierra Leone to provide clean and environmentally friendly power. Currently, rural and underserved communities are receiving greatly improved 24-hour critical medical care. We are saving lives and we will leave no one behind.”

Under Phase 1, a combined total of over 0.6 MWp solar power capacity was installed in six key hospitals along with battery storage that was expanded to 0.9 MWp after the first year of operations to meet rapidly growing demand. Following this trailblazing electrification, SEforALL progressed to Phase 2 which added 0.308 MWp of solar power in Kailahun Government Hospital and 25 community health centres (CHCs) around the country. 

The 11 hospitals in Phase 3 include Connaught Hospital which is the main referral hospital in Sierra Leone, Rokupa Government Hospital which provides the full range of reproductive maternal and newborn healthcare for women and children, Lakka Government Hospital, King Harman Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Port Loko Government Hospital, Makeni Government Hospital, Magburaka Government Hospital, Koidu Government Hospital, Moyamba Government Hospital, Pujehun Government Hospital and Kenema Government Hospital. Once complete, SEforALL would have installed a total of 4.3 megawatt peak (MWp) of solar power in 43 health facilities across Sierra Leone, transforming healthcare nationwide with reliable and sustainable energy.

Follow this groundbreaking journey on social media using the hashtags #PoweringHealthcare and #PoweringLivesSL.

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By Sallu Kamuskay Journalist and Public Relations Expert
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Sallu Kamuskay is a Sierra Leonean communication strategist, fixer, blogger, youth organiser, event manager, spokesperson, and public relations expert. His work has been regularly referenced and published by national and international media and public policy institutions. Sallu Kamuskay was a child during the brutal war in Sierra Leone. Growing up in the midst of conflict, Sallu witnessed unimaginable abuse of children and gross violations of human rights. The horrors he witnessed during the Civil War had a terrible impact on him at a very tender age. But despite the shock of the war, Sallu never lost hope. He started on a journey of recovery, studying, and working for a better future. At age 15, Sallu entered into the world of activism and advocacy. Sallu Kamuskay was the Vice President of the Young Leaders Organisation, a member of the National Youth Council. The Young Leaders is one of the oldest youth-led organisations in West Africa. The organisation was formed by a group of young leaders, and launched by the then Head of State/President of Sierra Leone. Sallu was part of the group of young leaders who participated in and contributed to the establishment of the National Youth Council. The Commonwealth supported the training for trainers programme with line ministries and youth stakeholders in which key, representatives of youth council, student union and civil society/private sector youth platforms were engaged and empowered in the effective engagement and inclusion of youth. Sallu is co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global multimedia and public relations firm based In Sierra Leone. Sallu has worked on various developmental and policy issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Human rights, Child Rights, Education, Health, Gender Equality, Civic Engagement, Government policies, Information Communication Technology for Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and has also been contributing to various global events and advocacy campaigns. Sallu Kamuskay is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global Multimedia and Public Relations Firm based in Sierra Leone with the latest news and information, on top stories, business, politics, entertainment, and more. Sallu is working with a leading technology company in Africa, Techfrica, that has recently developed and launched a social media, messaging Supfrica with over 150,000 downloads on the Google play store in less than 4 days. He is the Adviser and Media coordinator for the App to give people the platform to connect and communicate to help shape their future with a very fast internet that allows users that live in deprived and hard-to-reach areas with poor internet facility to be able to communicate as it allows and stronger on 2 and 3 G network reception. Sallu has over 9 years of experience in youth engagement, inclusion, and coordination both at local and global levels, giving voice to young people and engaging young people to build a better world. He has served as coordinator for the Wave Alliance which brought together youth-led organisations who attended an international training in South Africa organized by the International Organization – Waves for Change. Sallu is working with the MLT, Waves For Change, and the Government to develop safe spaces for young people, with a view to contributing to the overall development goals of young people including health, as well as to community rebuilding. Sallu is currently the Programme Director for the Wave Alliance, which is a coalition of youth-led and community-based organisations that have successfully introduced evidence-based Surf Therapy programs to young people in communities, with a focus on mental health, peace building and sustainable development. Sallu is currently the focal point and face of Africa’s Faces Social media platform which is a global Social media platform that brings together people from across the world to share their moments, connect, share videos, and interact with friends giving more preference to excluded continents like Africa. Sallu Kamuskay has devoted his time to working for or contributing to a number of national and international organizations and companies, including the Techfrica Technology Company, United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union, Commonwealth Africa Initiatives. This work has led him to travel to a number of countries to contribute to global youth platforms. Sallu is the lead Coordinator for Peace Tour programme, an initiative supported by the European Union, Africa Union, ECOWAS focusing on uniting and empowering young people and local communities. Over the years, Sallu Kamuskay has been using his Techno phone to be able to tell stories, the phone he used to tell the story of Gbessay during Ebola who was admitted at one of the Ebola treatment centers after rumors that she had Ebola when the actual sickness was ulcer, she was almost abandoned at the treatment canter with no medication provided to her. She could have died. Sallu told the story via social media and was able to secure funding from the United Sierra Leone to buy her medication and advocated for her. She was later discharged and taken home, He did the same to a patient that died and was abandoned in the street, Sallu Kamuskay used his phone and shared the message across, the corps was later taken and buried. It could have been more disaster without his voice. The story of late America Stress 3-year-old daughter. The hero’s daughter was abandon after his father's death. He shared her sad story and was able to get a sister who has taken the child as her own and is currently providing her with educational support. The article of America Stress can be read on the link below http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/item/7350-america-stress-a-hero-to-recognize. Sallu Kamuskay feels the stories of Gbessay, America stress and that of many others need to be told. The media house we have cannot better tell these stories, they are better reporters than telling human interest stories. He created the Salone Messenger platform and brought together passionate storytellers to be able to tell these compelling stories.