JIMMA (JU)–Jimma University (JU), the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH) Ethiopia country office and partners visit solar panel installed in health centers in Jimma Zone, Oromia Regional State.
The team included, among others, Mr. Don Kang, and Imiru Wakjira from KOFIH Ethiopia office, Dr. Elias Ali, KOFIH project management unit chairperson, Mr Gedion H/Michael and Kedir Adem from GIZ, German development agency, and Mr. Sileshi Woldeyes from Minerals and Energy office of Jimma Zone.
KOFIH’s Jimma is JU based project established in 2015 that works on maternal, neonatal and child health. The project works in four districts of Jimma Zone, namely Dedo, Mancho, Omo-Nada, and Omo-Beyam.
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Since its establishment KOFIH has been working with Jimma University and Jimma Zone Health Office mainly on six streams health system: (1) developing leadership, management and governance capacity of primary healthcare unit management team, (2) training health officers, nurses and midwives on basic emergency obstetric care, (3) training health information staff of health centers on data management, (4) upgrading the infrastructure of health centers by installing solar panels and developing water source, (5) supplying health centers with drugs and medical equipment, motorbikes for outreach activities, computers and printers for health information system, and (6) designing and disseminating radio messages on maternal and child health.
In their visit on 27 and 28 of December 2018, the team saw the 14 solar panels constructed in four districts of Jimma Zone with the help of GIZ. The constructions of the panels are made to the standards of World Health Organization (WHO) and are designed to change DC voltage to AC. With the solar panels, the health centers use energy obtained for light, fridge, autoclave, sterilizers and for other materials that require electric power to operate. In addition to installing the solar panels, KOFIH has a plan to contracts water tank to these health centers to solve the water shortage problem and to renovate the waiting rooms for pregnant women.
Source: Jimma University