Project Overview

The Brahmaputra river which flows through Assam is one of the largest rivers in the world and plays a vital role in connecting the many island communities that reside alongside it.

Most of the islands lack basic infrastructure and services, from health to schools, from power and roads to drinking water and sanitation. Health issues are acute with many people being affected by water-borne diseases and gaining access to medicines and health care can be problematic.

A unique initiative was launched to provide ‘Boat Clinics’ which offer mobile health services which bring health care and vital medicines to many who had previously been beyond reach.

Implementation

A VC150SDD Solar Direct Drive combined vaccine refrigerator and water pack freezer was installed on the boat by our in-country partner SunInTown.

The refrigerator was fitted into a compact space and due to the activity of the boat, an innovative way to install the solar system was required.

To capture the maximum amount of sunlight, the solar panels were mounted on the roof of the boat at a nominal angle to best utilise the solar array regardless of the direction that the boat was travelling.

Outcomes and Benefits

The VC150SDD provides a secure cold chain, keeping vaccines cool, preventing them from being spoiled and ensuring that life-saving medicines can now be distributed to the communities along the Brahmaputra river.