Naama and Botota Clinics, Liberia
Overview
Because of our ongoing relationship with the power generation and distribution support for the Phebe Hospital and Nursing School in Bong County, Liberia, we were asked to provide solar power systems and refrigeration for some of the non-powered clinics served by the Bong County Community Health Department. The first two were 500 Watt off-grid systems installed for clinics in the villages of Naama and Botota, Liberia.
Customized refrigeration for the 17 clinics was provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific’s refrigeration group in Marietta, Ohio and was shipped to Liberia through Global Health Ministries of Minneapolis, MN (who also provided shipping for our solar PV systems). The First United Methodist Church in Williamstown, WV supported this mission project and provided one of the solar PV systems.
These systems were designed to provide power for the refrigeration at the clinics, basic lighting and outlets for computer power and communications equipment, mostly radios and cellular phones. These systems are stand-alone systems which will provide up to 6 days of power to the refrigeration and other loads without direct sunlight, which happens periodically throughout the rainy seasons.
These systems utilized 1.0 kW of solar PV collection, 2.0 kW Outback hardened inverters (designed for rough service and high temperatures) and 12 VDC battery system which provides approximately 4 ½ kWH of backup power capacity.
One of the most remarkable aspects of these trips was the appreciation of the villagers for the lighting that they had during the night time for emergency trips to the clinic and birthing. To this day there are lights on the front of the clinics which burn all night and are used by the school children and others for reading and social gathering—these are the only lights in the villages.
I would like to express my thanks to Bobo “Willie” Voupawoe and Sumo Thornes, maintenance electricians from Phebe who helped, with others, to provide the installation at these clinics. Most installations are completed in 2 days onsite.
