Mua Hospital, a key healthcare facility in Dedza, Malawi, has undergone a transformative change with the implementation of a stable, solar-powered water supply system, which has improved sanitation and the quality of healthcare provided to the local community.
Project summary
The need
Previously, Mua Hospital suffered from an unreliable water supply due to frequent power outages from the local electricity grid. This instability led to the drying up of water tanks, severely impacting the hospital's ability to provide quality medical care. Staff often had to fetch water from boreholes outside the hospital, which was labor-intensive and inefficient.
The solution
The installation of a 2 kWp solar-powered water supply system has provided Mua Hospital with a steady and reliable source of water. This system includes a photovoltaic solar setup, the electric water pump, improved pipework infrastructure and reinforced (and expanded) water storage, ensuring continuous water availability.
Impact
The project has drastically improved the hygiene and functionality of the hospital. Now there is sufficient and continuous water suppy for all hand wash facilities, the laundry, showers, and toilets. The system has eliminated the need for staff to fetch water, allowing them to focus on their real work: patient care. As a result, the overall quality of healthcare at Mua Hospital has improved, making it a more reliable and efficient facility for the local community. This project contributes to the SDGs 3, 6 and 7.
Impact story
“Running a different hospital now”
“We used to have big water problems, sometime the whole hospital would end up without water for days. As a result the staff would go out to fetch water in boreholes, which was a lot of work.Pumping water using grid electricity was very costly and unreliable for the hospital. But now that we have steady water supply through the solar…”