<strong>Orange SL & USAID Launch Health Grid Project to provide power supply to local communities</strong>

By Mustapha Dumbuya

USAID Global Development Alliance (“GDA”) in partnership with ORANGE Sierra Leone has launched the health-Grid project to support the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). Health grid will install and support sustainable energy systems for twenty-six remote, off-grid healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone.

Orange Sierra Leone as implementing partner is supplying the technical ability for the installation of the PV systems and will also supply internet connectivity in all twenty-six community health centers. The energy systems will be based on solar/photovoltaic (“PV”) electricity generation equipment, which will be sized to meet the needs of each of the twenty-six health facilities (ranging from 5KWH to 10KWH).

Orange will also help ensure long-term sustainability by setting up a technical support “hotline” for Health grid O&M, building on its existing internet connectivity support hotline.

The main objective of this project is to Increase energy services available to twenty-six (26) off-grid health centers in Sierra Leone to improve healthcare delivery, increase utilization of Internet services in these off-grid health centers to improve information and data dissemination, and Pilot and test eight (8) water purification services in selected health centers to provide potable water for medical and community utilization.

It is expected that the roll-out of this project will enable remote health centers to receive a reliable supply of electricity, enabling healthcare workers to use critical equipment, access the internet, and provide them and their patients with a reliable source of clean water.

The electricity produced by the PV systems will enable a cold chain for vaccine storage and distribution in these off-grid communities. Host communities will receive help from improved public health outcomes and from the opportunity to access surplus electricity, internet connectivity, and clean water.

In addition,combining these three services and closely developed relationships with communities will allow facilities to provide sustainable life-saving services, such as seeing emergency patients at night, access to vaccines, information, and rapid coordination with other healthcare providers.

A fundamental goal of Health-Grid is to ensure that the installed equipment is supported and functional for the long term. In this regard, Health-Grid will set up a Sustainability Fund to support ongoing O&M for these systems. The installed systems will include cloud-based monitoring systems that will allow for real-time tracking of the equipment’s performance

These monitoring systems will help Orange prevent and respond quickly to maintenance needs at each site.

The Implementation of Health Grid Sierra Leone involves a robust coalition of partner organizations, including:

USAID Mission for Guinea and Sierra Leone is a key financial resource provider for the GDA and co-creator of the Health Grid Methodology. Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance is a key financial resource provider for the GDA as well as fundamental liaison support with the government of Sierra Leone and technical support to ensure that the installed systems meet the requirements for effective cold-chain systems.

Orange Sierra Leone serves as the MNO responsible for obtaining and installing the energy and connectivity equipment and for long-term O&M support for all the equipment (energy, connectivity, and WASH); Orange Sierra Leone is also supplying considerable in-kind contributions of skilled Labor, management, and equipment to enable the execution of the GDA.

RESOLVE, with the support of its affiliates in Sierra Leone (Regrow West Africa and Dalan Development Consultants, is serving as the “Prime” for GDA and is a key financial resource provider.

World Vision, lead Health grid interventions for the improvement of water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services at the respective healthcare facilities.

Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry selected the off-grid healthcare facilities that will be served by the GDA and will provide ongoing coordination support with all relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies.