GALKAYO HOSPITAL – A BEACON OF SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE
About the project
The grid-connected solar electrification system of 75kWp PV and 85kWh battery storage for Galkayo General Hospital is among 39 stabilization and peace dividend projects under the SPD project, which is part of an EU-funded Inclusive Local and Economic Development (ILED) Programme, which, in turn, supports the objectives of the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. This project aims to contribute stability of Somalia by strengthening state legitimacy and capacity to deliver the services they represent.
The solar system, funded by the European Union, can generate 136,880 kWh of clean energy annually for the hospital. The energy generated is equivalent to supplying the electricity needs of 132 households (924 persons) from the grid in the Galkayo vicinity. In addition to supporting efficient and affordable healthcare delivery, the solar system will improve Galkayo Hospital's carbon footprint by avoiding 64.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum.
The project yielded 18 local employees for 14 days in Puntland, primarily in the project's construction phase.
About Galkayo Hospital
The Galkayo hospital is a regional beacon in the Puntland state of Somalia that serves patients around Somalia and some parts of the Somali Region in Ethiopia. The hospital has 500 beds and employs 314 staff nurses, paramedical, internship medical students, guards, cooks, and cleaners. Galkayo hospital provides free medical care to 156,000 patients annually from internally displaced persons, returnees, pastoralists, Ethiopian refugees, and minority marginalized clans within the town and its vicinity.
Founded in 1935, the Galkayo Hospital offers the following services: an emergency ward, outpatient department, maternal and child health, maternity ward, TB section, X-Ray department, surgical, laboratory, and six rooms for COVID-19 on the ground floor of the Isolation wing.
"The Galkayo hospital is a community driven by a powerful notion of ownership and a sense of responsibility to the people we serve. This is why the solar project is so important because it will no doubt propel further the enthusiasm, strengthen, harmony and health of the community while putting us in a position to continue to provide the best care for our patients," says Dr. Mohamed Hussein, Director General of Galkayo Hospital.
Implementing Partners
The Nordic International Support Foundation (NIS Foundation) led the Galkayo Hospital project in partnership with Infra Futura. Infra Futura's scope of services included the system's engineering, design, sourcing, and installation.
About NIS Foundation
NIS- Foundation implements extensive stabilization projects in Somalia with donors and key national stakeholders. Public Hospitals' solar electrification is one of the key projects designed to support and improve access to health care services to reduce dependency on diesel-fired generators, skyrocketing energy bills, and grid power blackouts.
NIS- Foundation implemented over 13 hospital solar electrification projects in most regional hospitals in Somalia, with systems ranging from 20 kWp – 200 kWp and a total installed capacity is about 1 MWp.
About Infra Futura
Infra Futura is an impact-driven solar EPC company providing tailor-made renewable energy solutions to Africa and Europe. Infra's innovative complete system solutions provide optimal operational savings and CO2 reduction using market-leading financial tools and energy technologies.
The Infra core team has a combined experience of over 30 years in renewable energy with an installation of over 13MWp solar PV and 4MWh battery storage.
"The Galkayo project marks our second solar project in Somalia. Infra Futura is excited to be part of facilitating Galkayo hospital's transition to renewable energy. Our mission to drive electrification in healthcare through our SAHS project (Solarization of Africa's Healthcare Systems) draws closer to the goal. We cannot wait to extend solar energy to more countries and hospitals across sub-Saharan Africa." says Francis Asante, CEO of Infra Futura Ltd.
