Access to clean water is a major challenge in Western Province Zambia. The Zambezi River is polluted by run-off from domestic animals and almost exclusive use of pit latrines by humans. The hospital’s main source of water comes from the river, propelled by a small river-side pump. The hospital’s current water system doesn’t provide sufficient clean water to meet the healthcare needs of its patients. As a result, patients have a higher risk of waterborne diseases and infection that may be transmitted during care and in surgery. The American Partner’s new water project will increase the reliability, quantity,and quality of hospital water. Water will be pumped to an elevated tank by the river and will be filtered for particles before it enters the tank. A new UV Water Treatment System will purifywater leaving the tank. The tank elevation and proximity to the river will reduce pump workload, minimizing maintenance costs and reducing electrical costs of operation.

Supplying electrical power to the hospital is a major challenge to providing healthcare to patients. For many years, at least 43% of the hospital’s operating budget was consumed by its electricity billfrom ZESCO (Zambia Electrical Supply Company). Frequently the hospital is unable to cover the costs of electrical power and meet other operating expenses such as food and medicines. Consequently, the hospital’s overdue ZESCO bills accumulated. Recent droughts exacerbated the problem because ZESCO imposed mandatory power outages (up to 18 hours per day) in many areas of the country and increasing its tariffs on electricityto the point that almost all of the hospitals operating budget was consumed by the costs of electricity. An alternative source of power became a critical need.

The first phase of the American Partners’ solar project was completed inSeptember 2018, with solar panels installed on the roof of the main hospital building and deep-cycle batteries activated. The main building now gets 56% of its power from the solar systemand ensures that the general care of ward patients has not and will not be impacted by ZESCO outages. Because of the success of Phase 1, the next phase of the project has been initiated to expand solar coverage and increase the efficiency of the solar system.

Supplying electrical power to the hospital is a major challenge to providing healthcare to patients. For many years, at least 43% of the hospital’s operating budget was consumed by its electricity bill from ZESCO (Zambia Electrical Supply Company). Frequently the hospital is unable to cover the costs of electrical power and meet other operating expenses such as food and medicines. Consequently, the hospital’s overdue ZESCO bills accumulated. Recent droughts exacerbated the problem because ZESCO imposed mandatory power outages (up to 18 hours per day) in many areas of the country and increasing its tariffs on electricity to the point that almost all of the hospitals operating budget was consumed by the costs of electricity. An alternative source of power became a critical need.

The first phase of the American Partners’ solar project was completed in September 2018, with solar panels installed on the roof of the main hospital building and deep-cycle batteries activated. The main building now gets 56% of its power from the solar system and ensures that the general care of ward patients has not and will not be impacted by ZESCO outages. Because of the success of Phase 1, the next phase of the project has been initiated to expand solar coverage and increase the efficiency of the solar system.