Kenya Hospital ITIBO

Let's light up ITIBO in the hospital

ADRA Slovakia in cooperation with ADRA Czech Republic is implementing a project of systematic assistance to Itibo Hospital in Kenya. ADRA Czech Republic has been working there for a long time, sending teams of doctors and medics, building ambulances and operating theatres. The unstable electricity grid complicates the functioning of the hospital.
In January 2020, we travelled to Kenya with a team of volunteer electricians to build a backup power supply for the ITIBO hospital, which is located high in the mountains 2200m above sea level in northwestern Kenya. Only dusty and muddy mountain roads lead to it. It serves a catchment area of surrounding villages over a radius of more than 20km.

The situation and how we helped

The electricity grid in Africa is very unstable. There are daily blackouts. For the ICU - intensive care unit and the operating theatre, even a short power outage is very dangerous. If this happens during an operation, or if the machines that maintain the vital functions of patients stop working, it can have fatal consequences...

Since 2005, the Czech ADRA has been systematically working here. Gradually, outpatient clinics, a new inpatient section, a laboratory, a maternity ward, an intensive care unit and a dental clinic have been built and equipped with medical equipment. A new ambulance serves, modern diagnostic equipment is used.

The sun shines freely and in Africa especially intensely. We have installed solar panels - almost horizontally, because we are on the equator. This back-up source of electricity powers the consulting rooms, operating theatres, the maternity ward and the intensive care unit. Our 12 panels supply 1.2 - 2.5 kW of electricity online. Excess energy is stored in batteries. Longer outages are covered by a new 16 kW diesel generator that automatically starts within 10 seconds and backs up most of the hospital. For the generator, DIYers built a small house...

Partners:

The whole project was only possible thanks to the good cooperation with ADRA Czech Republic, the local health department, many small donors and sponsors. Thank you friends.

For more up-to-date information about the Itibo Hospital aid, please visit Itibo.cz