In a first for Libya, solar power panels have been installed at the Abu Sleem Accidents and Emergency hospital in the capital Tripoli to offer steady electricity for the hospital’s Intensive Care unit.
Similar installations will be offered to three other hospitals in Tripoli: Ali Omar Askar Neuro Surgery, Tripoli Medical Centre and Cordoba Centre for Services and Renal Hemodialysis.
“When all are up and running, the panels will help boost the health sector in the country because about 50,000 Libyans will be able to go to hospitals where there are no electricity problems and can enjoy proper health care,” said Noura Hamladji, the Libya country director for the United Nations Development Programme and which implements the projects.
The clean source of energy will enable hospitals to continuously operate vital medical equipment such as dialyzers, medicine refrigeration, surgery rooms and ICUs. Power is also essential in the cold chain necessary to stock and preserve essential medicine including vaccines.
The installations for the Tripoli hospitals are funded by The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which supports rapid humanitarian response.