Ministry of Health Commissions New Solar Power System to Strengthen Health Services

Ministry of Health Commissions New Solar Power System to Strengthen Health Services

JUBA | 14th August 2025 — Ministry of Health Commissions New Solar Power System to Strengthen Health Services     

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The National Ministry of Health has inaugurated a solar power system at its Juba headquarters. an action designed to enhance health service delivery and keep those services ecologically sustainable. The new facility is the result of collaboration among the Ministry of Health, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP South Sudan), and the Global Fund. 

 

The installation is a key component of the ongoing “Solar for Health in South Sudan” program, a solar energy project that has been extending reliable, clean power to health centers across the country since 2020. The initiative has been further supported by the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) grant. 

 

Participants in the ceremony heard the Honorable Sarah Cleto Rial, Minister of Health, declare that the new solar facility will strengthen the Ministry’s health information and disease surveillance systems. “Our communication and coordination with state and county health departments will no longer depend on the availability and cost of diesel fuel. This is no longer a hope; it is a confirmed reality for our health system,” she said. 

 

The Minister concluded by confirming that the Global Fund was extending the program’s reach, with solar power already reaching 23 health facilities nationwide.

 

Facilities benefiting from the initiative now include hospitals, county health offices, and, most recently, the Ministry of Health Headquarters. The Secretary General expressed heartfelt appreciation to the generous donors whose consistent backing has empowered the nation’s war on AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Their partnership has also fortified health systems and preserved countless lives across South Sudan. 

 

Mr. Russell Armstrong, UNDP Project Coordination Advisor, emphasized the solar installation’s lifesaving relevance. He noted that the system forms a cornerstone of the Global Fund’s energy solutions project, which covers state and referral hospitals, the National Public Health Laboratory, and the Central Medical Store. 

 

The Advisor assured the authorities that UNDP will maintain the solar systems over the long haul, while coaching local technicians to sustain the gains and maximize community benefits. 

 

The commissioning event symbolizes a watershed moment for the Ministry and underscores how renewable energy strengthens health service governance and delivery. The successful collaboration sends a strong signal that South Sudan will keep advancing community well-being by relying on eco-friendly, reliable solutions. 

 

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MoH Communications / Sawa Media