Project Overview
In 2014, Dulas was contracted by UNOPS and the Global Fund to carry out the delivery and installation of 16 solar systems and 162 vaccine refrigeration systems to support the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Eritrea.
The project, a collaboration between Dulas and longterm local partner Hydro Construction, was carried out over a 16-month period and included manufacture, packing and shipping to Massawa Sea Port, assisting with customs clearance, transportation from Massawa to a central warehouse in Asmara and internal distribution to all installation sites.
Implementation
Dulas and Hydro Construction successfully installed and commissioned 16 x 3kW solar systems for the Ministry of Health in order to provide an essential uninterrupted power supply for rural medical centres that otherwise had little or no access to grid electricity.
Next was the supply, installation and commissioning of VC150-2 combined refrigerator/freezer systems procured to equip a further 162 rural clinics with the specialist cold chain systems needed to store essential vaccines.
As well as providing the necessary technology, Dulas’ Solar International team and partners held an in-country installation and maintenance training programme to ensure Ministry officials had the skills and knowledge required to maintain the solar power systems and keep an effective cold-chain delivering vaccines to children in remote areas.
Outcomes and benefits
The VC150-2 systems will assist in the delivery of essential vaccination programmes in rural clinics throughout the country, while the skills and technical knowledge that participants developed through Dulas’ training programme will empower them to effectively manage the cold chain securely into the future.
