Zambia on Thursday launched two United Nations-supported projects aimed at providing sustainable energy solutions in health facilities to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
The Accelerating Deployment and Adoption of Renewable Energy Technologies in Zambia project aims to promote the growth of inclusive clean energy enterprises, while the Solar for Health project aims to mitigate the adverse effects of power shortages on healthcare delivery by providing an uninterrupted power supply.
Douglas Syakalima, acting minister of health, said during the launch of the projects that the Solar for Health project will go a long way in strengthening the healthcare system, enhancing its resilience, and contributing to reducing the carbon footprint of the health sector.
“The challenge of providing sustainable energy, particularly solar power, extends beyond the capacity of government alone. It demands collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility across all sectors and partnerships,” he said.
He also said the Accelerating Deployment and Adoption of Renewable Energy Technologies in Zambia project will ensure that energy enterprises are linked to developers and end-users with quality products and services.
He commended the UN for its transformational approach to addressing the energy deficit in Zambia, adding that accelerating the deployment of renewable energy technologies requires building technical capacity at local levels to support end-users in rural and peri-urban areas.
Beatrice Mutali, UN resident coordinator in Zambia, said the launch of the projects has come at the right time when the UN is working to support the Zambian government in formulating strategic, short, medium, and long-term measures to address the energy crisis that has impacted the economy, human, and environmental well-being.
She said launching renewable energy interventions is crucial to address climate change systematically and efficiently, especially when Zambia is facing a severe energy crisis.
