25 Newly Electrified Health Centres in Rural Areas of Ethiopia
On 9 June 2015, the German and Irish Ambassadors to Ethiopia handed over 25 solar-powered health centres in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) to the Regional Bureau of Health. The ceremony took place at the Gebaba health centre in the remote Silte Zone. Implemented by GIZ on behalf of the global Energising Development (EnDev) programme and co-financed by Irish Aid, the project facilitates modern health services in rural areas through solar electrification.
All of the health centres, including the one in Gebaba, are off the country’s power grid. In Gebaba alone, almost 29,000 people are receiving better health services because of the electrification. The photovoltaic system enables the operation of microscopes, sterilisers and fridges (for medication which needs to be kept cool). Maternal health services are expected to improve significantly. The solar power generated is also pumping clean water to the clinic and the surrounding villages.
At regional level, the project partners have been the Bureau of Health, the Bureau of Finance and Economic Development and the Mines and Energy Agency. The construction work was done by national and international companies who have been trained to take care of maintenance and repair in the future.
The handing over ceremony has been carried out with high-level participation from:
• Director Mekonnen Engida, Director Public Health Infrastructure, Federal Ministry of Health
• Ato Kifle Gebremariam, Regional Vice President and Head of SNNPR Regional Health Bureau
• H.E. Aidan O’Hara, Ambassador of Ireland to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
• H.E. Joachim Schmidt, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
• Mr. Axel Klaphake, Country Director of GIZ in Ethiopia
About Energising Development Ethiopia
Energising Development (EnDev) is a joint, impact-oriented global programme of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Australia, United Kingdom and Switzerland, with additional co-funding from Ireland and the European Union in Ethiopia. The global programme cooperates with governments, NGOs and the private sector in 24 partner countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. EnDev supports the establishment of self-sustaining markets for modern energy solutions with a focus on rural areas.
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH acts as lead agency responsible for the implementation of the programme at national level and cooperates closely with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on a global level.
About Irish Aid
Irish Aid is the Government of Ireland’s official programme for development assistance and has had a presence in Ethiopia since 1994. Irish Aid facilitates the implementation of the country’s growth and poverty reduction efforts so that the poor benefit from, and contribute to, equitable economic, social and environmental development. Irish Aid works with a variety of partners including government, UN agencies, international research institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across Ethiopia. At the regional level, Irish Aid focuses on Tigray and SNNPR. Irish Aid has a long history of supporting SNNPR including a successful partnership with the Regional Health Bureau.