A group photograph of the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Anas (middle) and other dignitaries at the commissioning ceremony
By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), has commissioned its solar project at its National Secretariat Gwarinpa Abuja
The Solar Installation using Lithium-Ion Technology, was handled Rays for Healthcare Project.
Inaugurating the project on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim Anas, expressed the commitment of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu to transform the Health sector in the country.
She commended the MDCAN for bringing about robust development in the Health sector and expressed the readiness of renewed hope administration of partnership.
According the Special Adviser the commissioning of the solar project was the way to go in improving the efficiency of the health workers, noting that if a doctor has six hours to work in the theatre, with the solar system, he has more than six hours of energy to work with.
“It is highly commendable and we should be able to mentor others to diversify in all of our other sectors of development. This reminds me of what we have discussed before on rural electrification of our primary healthcare,” she remarked.
Dr Anas, who also noted that the project commissioned was critical to effective functioning and realization of the mandate of the Association, stated that it was about improving the efficiency of the health workers.
“This remind me of what we discussed before on rural electrification of our primary health care – that one of the barriers of access to healthcare facility is lack of electricity. You have to keep the laboratory functioning, the vaccine have to be function. You can see, we still have some issue of epidemics, we still have problem of cool chain, we still have the epidemic of measles,” she said.
She lamented that up till this moment, the potency of the country’s vaccines that are transferred across the country can not be guaranteed, which according to her, was the reasons that Nigeria is still having the issues of epidemics.
Earlier, the President of MDCAN, Prof Mohammad Mohammad, expressed his happiness over the presence of the Special Adviser at the commissioning, noting that the development alone had shown her concern for health sector in Nigeria.
He commended the Tinubu administration for the achievements so far, not only in health, but in other sectors of the economy despite coming on a very difficult period both economically, socially and otherwise.
“At the MDCAN, it’s an honour done to us today to have a senior government Officer like the Special Adviser in our midst to witness our milestone achievement. Today’s event is marked on the fact that we have installed a very durable highly capacious and sufficiently effective solar system in our National Secretariat which will service not only the activities of MDCAN but will also serve our subsidiary organisations,” he added.
On his part, the Rays for Healthcare Project Manager, Dr Terfa Kene, opined that the project marks a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental responsibility.
“Today, we are not only inaugurating a new energy system but also setting a benchmark for innovative and sustainable practices within
our organization and beyond,” Dr. Kene said.
He extended his heartfelt gratitude to the MDCAN President, Prof Mohammad Aminu Mohammad, and the entire executive committee for selecting Rays for Healthcare Project for the installation of the system from the numerous bidders and the unwavering support and vi sionaryleadership.
Dr. Kene said: “Your commitment to this project has been instrumental in bringing it to fruition.
“We are super excited that the Special Adviser to the President on Health has created time out of her busy schedule to honour us, her colleagues, to commission this land mark project. We are grateful and appreciate this deeply.
“I also wish to thank MDCAN staff for their cooperation and the entire Rays for Healthcare Project team at Ave Health Sense Limited for their dedication, expertise, and meticulous execution of this project. Your hard work and professionalism have ensured that we now have
a cutting-edge solar energy system that wil serve MDCAN for many years to come.
“Following the energy audit, a 10kVA inverter, 17.5kWh lithium with fifteen tire one 450 Wp photovoltaic panels generating about 6.75kWp was installed. This soar system is designed to harness the abundant energy of the sun, converting it into clean, renewable power for our MDCAN National Secretariat and has real time monitoring app.”
Kene disclosed that the solar energy was equipped with advanced lithium-ion battery storage with durability of over 10 years, adding that the system ensures that they have a reliable and uninterrupted power supply, even during non-sunny periods and peak demand times.
According to him, with the system in place, MDCAN Secretariat can operate smoothly without the disruptions caused by power outages which is crucial for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of our daily operations.
“Now that MDCAN is generating her own electricity, the dependence on the main grid will significantly reduce, leading to substantial cost savings on energy bills. These funds can be redirected towards enhancing services and staff welfare,” he said.
According to Dr. Kene, “this project aligns with our commitment to climate change agenda by reducing carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels, thereby contributing to a cleaner, greener environment. This is a legacy we are proud to leave for future generations.”
Kene, who noted that the availability of unlimited electricity could create a conducive environment for work and enhance performance,
stated that by adopting such advanced technology, MDCAN was setting an example for other organizations, institutions and branches across the country.
” We are demonstrating that it is possible to integrate sustainability into our core operations while reaping tangible benefits.
“As Rays for Healthcare Project continues to innovate and adopt new technologies, we envision expanding our renewable energy initiatives across all MDCAN facilities and hospitals nationwide to harvest the sun rays from the roof of hospitals for productive use,” he said.
