Dulas donated a VC150SDD Solar Direct Drive combined refrigerator/freezer to MINSA (Nicaraguan Ministry of Health) at a ceremonial event held with their local partner Arttico, in Managua recently. Dulas solar refrigerators have been used in health centres across Latin America for many years – this donation (including the Beyond ICE3 Remote Temperature Monitoring RTM capability) is being installed at a remote health facility in Nicaragua’s mountainous northern region.
Representing MINSA were Minister Martha Reyes, Mr Alejandro Ortega – Responsible for Cold Chain, Dr Cristian Toledo – General Director for Health Surveillance, and Dr Jazmina Umaña, Coordinator for National Immunization. Nicaragua has an excellent vaccination programme, but its intermittent power supply means that a solar-powered cold chain is often essential.
Managing Director, Mr Roberto Rosales and Advisor, Mr Raul Cuadra of Arttico, were in attendance along with an Arttico technical team, who demonstrated the capabilities of the refrigerator.
The donated VC150SDD is a Solar Direct Drive combined vaccine refrigerator and water pack freezer. With a vaccine storage capacity of 102 litres and a 43L freezer, it is the perfect solution for larger health facilities. The VC150SDD can deliver 4 x 0.6L fully frozen water packs each day (2.4kg of ice), even at +43C ambient, making it easier to plan outreach activities.
The VC150SDD uses solar technology to deliver exceptional reliability, whatever the weather – ensuring that precious life-saving vaccines remain viable year round. It is also supplied with the Beyond ICE3 RTM device which enables health centre staff to easily monitor their cold chain equipment via a web portal, providing alerts whenever a temperature fluctuation needs to be checked.
Mr Rosales commented: “We really value quality and technology at Arttico, so we are very pleased to partner with Dulas. They pioneered the solar powered vaccine refrigerator many years ago and their brand stands for quality and reliability. This donation will make a big difference to the remote community it will serve.”
Arttico has been established for over 15 years and specialises in the design and development of projects, sales and installation of equipment, spare parts and maintenance of air conditioners and commercial and industrial refrigeration.
Commercial Lead for Dulas Solar International, Catherine McLennan, commented: “We couldn’t do this work without our invaluable in-country partners, in particular, we value Arttico’s reputation for quality technical support, and their local knowledge of Nicaragua’s geography and logistics.We look forward to working with Arttico in the future delivering cold chain equipment to areas that need it most.”
