BY IRWIN ANGIKI
The Good Samaritan Hospital has received a state-of-the-art solar-battery hybrid system providing renewable and reliable electricity 24/7.
The $1.4 million project is supported under Australia’s Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP) initiative. And, was implemented by local leading solar experts – Superfly Limited.
Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH) services more than 62,000 people from surrounding communities. Even patients in Honiara seek help there.
One of the hospital’s major budget constraints was electricity, having to depend on generator power at the cost of around $170,000 a year.
The handover on Wednesday this week sees the removal of this huge cost which is now expected to go towards other improvements of the hospital’s operations.
And, generator power being available only from 9am – 10pm, is now a thing of the past.
Giving her keynote address, Minister Counsellor of the Australian High Commission Lindsay Buckingham attributed the successful completion and handover of the project to the partnership between Australia, the ministry of health (MHMS), the GSH and Superfly.
The project is a continuation of Australia’s ongoing commitment to renewable energy and health service in the Solomon Islands.
“This project was one of the first projects selected with new funding from an Australian government programme which supported off-grid renewable energy sources across the Pacific,” Ms Buckingham said.
The Good Samaritan project is one of four off-grid projects under the programme for Solomon Islands, Buckingham said.
She pointed to other upcoming projects by Australia to help communities access renewable and reliable solar power which will be set up in Malaita, Western and Central provinces.
Buckingham highlighted that the Good Samaritan project is the first of all the projects under the Australian programme across the Pacific to be completed.
“It really is a significant milestone, and it was a project delivered to plan, delivered on time and with high quality materials only eight months after we launched this programme.”
She said Australia understands the need to move away from the costly diesel-generator power, which had costed GSH around $170,000 on fuel alone.
“But, now, since switching to the new renewable source, the hospital has been operating 24/7 on solar energy.
“The hospital has not needed to use the diesel generator once since this project was installed.”
Minister of Health Dr Paul Popora Bosawai in his speech shared his familiarity with the hardships hospital workers faced in the absence of electricity. His medical career had got its footing at the GSH.
“Today is indeed historical as it marks the day when our only hospital in the area, Good Samaritan Hospital, is now set to benefit from a more resilient health care system through great energy security thanks to the partnership between Superfly Limited, the GSH and the Australian Government which launched early this year, and now this mission has now been accomplished.
“Through this partnership, Superfly has installed a solar hybrid system which will enable North Guadalcanal communities and members to access a safe and more resilient health care and setting through renewable energy.”
The Health Minister said this translates to more than 60 thousand people serviced by the Hospital, including around 21,500 women.
Popora Bosawai is also the MP for North Guadalcanal constituency, on which the GSH is located.
Guadalcanal Premier Willie Atu provided context to the significance of GSH and the new solar hybrid system.
“The Good Samaritan Hospital serves the largest population of all the area health centres in Guadalcanal.
“Mamara health centre, west of Honiara, serves a population of 20,000. Tangangarare, further to the west, serves a population of 25,000. Avuvau serves a population of 14,000. Aola serves a population of 26,000. Good Samaritan Hospital serves a population of 62,000. The population of Guadalcanal is 178,000 and increasing.”
Premier Atu said the eastern periphery of Honiara leading to the Good Samaritan Hospital’s proximity, is also increasing in development as more and more people from other provinces move in pursuing employment opportunities.
He described the Good Samaritan solar project as a “proactive step in capacitating the area health centres in Guadalcanal” which allows such area health centres with improved infrastructures to continue operating throughout “critical times”. He made this statement, referencing the recent pandemic.
Premier Atu thanked the Australian government and DFAT, and asked if the same renewable energy project could be done for the five other area health centres in Guadalcanal.
Superfly Managing Director Gavin Pereira in his keynote said the solar hybrid system of GSH represents more than just technology, it includes resilience, partnership and shared commitment to advancing rural health care.
“We know that reliable power is not just a luxury in health care, it is essential. With this 70kW solar system paired together with the 230kWh battery bank and 45KVA Victron inverters, we know that Good Samaritan Hospital will now have a reliable, sustainable energy source to power critical services day and night. This includes lighting, refrigeration, critical surgeries and other medical needs to save lives.
“This project will enable the hospital to give consistent care without the worry of power interruptions, giving the staff here the support they need to focus on what matters most – caring for patients.
“In addition to increasing energy security, this project also supports environmental goals by reducing dependency on fossil fuels, setting a new standard in clean energy for health care facilities across Solomon Islands.
“We are incredibly proud to be a local company that is capable of executing large scale projects like this and we are thrilled to play a part in making meaningful contributions to the country’s energy landscape.”
Community members, including few from Tenaru Foxwood, who spoke with Island Sun shared their joy and relief at the GSH new solar power system.
Maria Neikaai, a mother who brought her child for medical treatment, said the project accurately targets the problem which she had faced for many years using the hospital’s services.
She is excited that they will no longer have to wait for hours for medical attention due to a power problem.
“Thank you Australia and Superfly Limited,” Neikaai said.
This project is part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP) initiative to expand the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific’s climate investments, a statement by the Australian High Commission yesterday explained.
It does this by partnering with businesses to deliver reliable and sustainable renewable energy to remote and rural communities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, implemented by the Business Partnerships Platform, the statement adds.
