Nyembuye Medical Centre – Solar Power Project:

The images above show solar power being installed in DRC. Mission International, along with mission partners Rema Burundi, seeks to provide this kind of power for the Medical Centre at Nyembuye.

The Nyembuye Medical Centre, built in 2007-2008, has become central to the local and wider community in the Giharo area, situated about 20 miles from Rutana. Initially a simple one building focal point which dispensed medicines and took care of inoculations in the centre and out into the community, it has now become a recognised and an integral part of Burundi’s medical services in the area.

Nyembuye Clinic is constantly busy serving a remote community

Currently the Nyembuye Medical Centre has a simple small solar powered system consisting of 2 x 100W panels and 1 x 30W panel capable of powering the vaccinations fridge. The clinic is miles away from the electricity grid, also the use of diesel generators is far to expensive to run, making a solar power system a priority for this busy, popular community medical resource.

Services at Nyembuye include:

  • Consultations
  • Emergency medical treatments for those that present at the centre
  • Small scale surgery
  • Limited and simple laboratory services
  • Vaccinations against childhood diseases and Covid-19
  • Antenatal, neonatal and postnatal care services
  • Family planning services
  • Mission Medics short-term teams from the UK visit with medical, nursing and dental practitioners to assist staff at Nyembuye annually

A view of the newer buildings above the original site
A huge water tank collects roof water and water piped in from a local spring.

More recently the medical centre has been extended to provide wards and laboratories. The medical centre now has a reliable water supply from building rooves and from a local spring.

Improvements expected with solar power provision:

  • The ability to extend the length of time each day when the clinic can be in use by the provision of electric lighting
  • Enough capacity to power equipment such as autoclaves
  • Electrical power rather than relying on charcoal stoves will allow proper sterilization of equipment
  • Electrical power will allow fluid samples to be analysed by in-house laboratory equipment avoiding delays in having samples sent to bigger centres
  • The ability to treat a wider range of diseases more successfully

Solar Power Supply:

Mission International partners, Rema Burundi, have approached a local company in Bujumbura to quote for the supply and installation of the necessary equipment to provide the required power for the Medical Centre. The current quote, depending on exchange rates which fluctuate, is £36,000 of which £13,800 has already been raised.

Donate here:

Please consider donating to this essential project bringing much needed and improved medical services to the people of Nyembuye and the surrounding district.