Northern Province, Zambia, Thursday, June 30, 2022: In efforts to enhance quality health care services in rural areas, Prospero Limited, and the Government of the republic Zambia through the Ministry of Health (MOH) have today commissioned the connection of solar electricity to eight(8) rural health centres. The Rural Health Clinics that have been electrified in Northern province are namely: Chifulo, Kapolyo, Kampamba, Sampa, Chimba, Kopeka, Kaseke and Misengo.
The motive to electrify rural clinics in Zambia and improve health delivery is an initiative of Prospero with funding from the UKaid which is being implemented in partnership with Mpower Ventures Zambia Ltd, Africon Infrastructure Group Ltd and Solera Vending Machine Ltd- Further, through the Rural Enterprise Hub (REH) model, the initiative also provides access to reliable, affordable and clean electricity to local businesses.
Previously and currently, health workers have opted to using candles and phones for lighting when attending to patients at night including maternity due to the lack of electricity. It is with this background that Prospero allocated funding through with Mpower Ventures Zambia Ltd, Africon Infrastructure Group Ltd and Solera Vending Machine Ltd to address this challenge.
“The electrification of the clinics is a huge milestone that highlights our public and private sector’ involvement to improve the delivery of quality health care to the people of Zambia. Prospero happy to work jointly with the Ministry of Health and its intervention partner to improve the delivery of health services in remote parts of Zambia.,” says Jane Lungu, Business Services Sector Lead.
The solar hubs will not only improve health care delivery in the province but also drive economic development by supporting businesses to operate efficiently and for longer hours, creating an opportunity for job creation for the local people will be.
“As Government, we are mandated to provide Zambian people with equitable access to cost effective, high-quality healthcare services, we are excited about this commissioning of the electrified clinics as it contributes to the improvement of basic health service delivery and brings about economic development for the people of Northern Province,” says Lewis Mwape ,MoH Deputy Permanent Secretary
About Prospero
Prospero is an independent not-for-profit organization implementing the second phase of the UKaid funded Private Enterprise Programme Zambia (PEPZ II). The programme is designed to incentivise investment in innovation that changes the way that market systems work to create new growth opportunities for MSMEs. PEPZ II is focused on the following high-growth potential sectors: Food and Agriculture, Tourism and Biotrade, Manufacturing and Mining Services and two other cross cutting sectors- Business Services, and Investment Services.
Media Contact:
Mirriam Musonda
Outreach and Knowledge Management Officer
www.prospero.co.zm