- The European Investment Bank’s development arm (EIB Global) will help Kenya’s largest hospital expand and green its energy supply.
- EIB Global will advise Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi on the installation of a solar-power system.
- The goal of the project is to meet growing demand for electricity at the hospital while increasing its energy independence and reducing its carbon footprint.
EIB Global will offer the assistance in partnership with German development agency (GIZ) through a grant of 7.3 million Kenyan shillings (€50,000) from a multi-donor initiative run by the World Bank and EIB for cities – the Cities Climate Finance Gap Fund. The support will cover technical studies and a financial assessment regarding the planned installation of the photovoltaic (PV) system.
The hospital, which is also the largest public health centre in East Africa, has a capacity of 2,400 beds and serves about 2 million patients annually. High grid costs in Kenya are straining the budget of the hospital and power outages are forcing it to rely on diesel generators that meet only about 65% of demand, leaving critically ill patients at risk.
“Our goal is a climate smart future,” said EIB Regional Hub for East Africa Head Edward Claessen. “We are committed to supporting Kenyatta National Hospital in its transition to green electricity. The forthcoming technical studies will lay the ground for successful implementation of the PV system.”
Under the support agreement, GIZ experts will carry out the technical and financial evaluations for implementation and maintenance of the solar-power system.
Kenyatta National Hospital intends to direct savings on energy bills resulting from the planned PV system to areas such as purchasing medical supplies, hiring more staff and upgrading facilities.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
