The project aimed to support the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Liberia in increasing access to reliable health care in rural and peri-urban health facilities in Liberia through providing modern, affordable and sustainable energy sources to the facilities. The project will establish a database of all rural and peri-urban health clinics energy needs; install solar PV in rural and peri-urban health clinics; capacity building of all stakeholders in Solar PV technology; establish a solar maintenance unit; and raise community awareness.

Implementer       

 Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin) ; Save the Children (last 8 months);

Donors and budget    

 EU ( 1,489,866 Euro); total planned budget 2,000,000

Start and end date   

August 2011 to September 2014

Aims/objectives       
  1. Access to round the clock health care services in rural and peri-urban communities through providing sustainable energy sources at the health facilities;
  2. capacity building of key health staff and communities to ensure sustainability of the project;
  3. To establish a solar energy maintenance unit at the MOH&SW to support facilities in equipment maintenance.

Geographic coverage    

 In all counties of Liberia

Target groups

 Rural and peri-urban communities and their health facilities

 

Results and Impact

204 health facilities have received PV systems and 1215 local people have been trained in the PV maintenance. The PV-electrification has improved the quality of the offered. Sustainability has been integral in the design by a central maintenance unit but as the Ministry of Health could not fund the unit GIZ committed to temporary run the unit.