The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, yesterday, commissioned a solar powered electricity system at the Dutsen Alhaji Primary Healthcare Centre in Abuja.
The minister who was represented by the Director, Public Private Partnership unit of the ministry, Dr. Omobolale Olowu, said the electricity system is a pilot project executed by the ministry, PVWater and the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
He said the installation provides solar-generated electricity and safe drinking water. “The provision of electricity and clean water is important for service delivery in any health care centre (PHC), and integral to diseases prevention and health promotion,’’ he said.
The minister said the project is unique being one of the few water projects providing treated water to a health facility and community.
“The project is a good example of private sector collaboration with government in a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement. They have undertaken this installation at no cost to the Federal Government and will recover their investment over time,’’ Dr Ehanire said.
He commended PVWater and the FCTA for their technical support toward the Federal Ministry of Health’s effort to revitalize primary healthcare centres across the country.
FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Bello, who was represented by the Secretary, Health and Human Services, FCTA, Malam Adamu Bappah, said the Dutsen Alhaji PHC Centre is one of the busiest primary healthcare facilities in the community, adding that it provided essential maternal and child health care services such as antenatal and postnatal care, delivery services, immunisation and laboratory services among others.’’
He promised to extend the project to other healthcare facilities in the FCT.
The chief of Dutse Alhaji, Alhaji Abubakar Bako, said the project would go a long way in providing access to healthcare and water for the people of the community.
