The Rural Electrification Agency has inaugurated the installation of a 1.5-megawatt solar-hybrid mini-grid at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, Kano, to enhance a reliable and affordable electricity supply for medical services.

The event also featured the presentation of a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday in Kano, Abba Abubakar-Aliyu, the REA managing director, said the project was part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the nation’s electricity challenges.

He said the intervention, under the National Public Sector Solarisation Initiative, was designed to strengthen power supply across four critical sectors, health, education, agriculture and security.

Mr Abubakar-Aliyu noted that the National Orthopaedic Hospital, established in 1959, was selected due to its long history of providing specialised medical services and its growing energy needs.

“The honourable minister of power has directed us to enhance the reliability, affordability and sustainability of electricity in key public institutions. Today, we are issuing the groundbreaking for the deployment of 1.5 megawatts of hybrid mini-grid to this historic medical institution,” he said.

According to the REA managing director, the intervention aligns with other ongoing projects, including the deployment of hybrid mini-grids in 15 federal universities, one of which is in Kano, where REA recently rehabilitated and expanded a project to six megawatts.

He added that the installation at the Dala Hospital would also support its newly acquired MRI machine, which requires an uninterrupted power supply.

“This is a nexus while we provide electricity reliability, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company is providing MRI equipment to strengthen diagnostic services,” he said.

He explained that the final cost of the project would depend on the upgrade of the hospital’s distribution network and metering requirements.

In his remarks, the hospital’s chief medical director, Nurudeen Isa, commended the federal government and REA for the intervention, describing the project as timely and lifesaving.

“Most hospitals have been struggling with electricity bills, especially under Band A tariffs. We rely heavily on diesel generators, which are not sustainable. This intervention has come at the right time for the hospital, for the patients and for the environment,” Isa said.

He said the hospital’s MRI machine required a 24-hour power supply, adding that providing such energy solely through generators had become extremely costly.

“With this intervention, we are good to go. It will significantly reduce costs and make services, including MRI scans, more affordable for patients,” he added.

Mr Isa emphasised that the biggest operational cost for most hospitals was electricity, noting that improved power supply would reduce the financial burden on both the institution and its patients.

“We thank Mr President and the management of the Rural Electrification Agency for providing this support at a time we need it most,” he said. 

(NAN)