By PASSY HAACHIZO –
THE United Nations(UN) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, have embarked on a solar project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that will be used to cool anti-retroviral drugs.
Speaking when she paid a courtesy call on Central Province Permanent Secretary, Daisy Ng’ambi on Thursday,  UN resident coordinator, Janet Rogan observed that the project would consume about US$40 million and was expected to be spread across the country including rural areas.
The move is also in an endeavour to give impetus to the drug especially for children on Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) as the drug would remain in a good environment.
“So we are really planning with the Ministry of Health for a very large project countrywide to bring solar panels to medical facilities. You see sometimes you vaccinate children and the medicine may fail to work because of the manner in which the drug is stored,” Ms Rogan said.
Ms Rogan said there was need to keep the drug at good room temperature to avoid it from losing potency.
She said the team was also looking for partners to implement the project in due course adding that the nature of the project needed a heavy financial muscle.
Central Province medical officer, Rosemary Mwanza said the Ministry of Health would do everything possible to see more development in the health sector.
“Our eight districts in the province are getting there, we now have early initiation on ART for newborn babies,” she said.
Dr Mwanza said the Ministry of Health had also procured essential commodities and supplies for the province.