By Promise Dube
In a severe setback for healthcare services in Insiza South District, heavy rains recently destroyed solar panels at Saphila Clinic, crippling its operations and jeopardising patient care.
Ward 5 Councillor Ngobe Masonga confirmed the incident.
“The solar panels were severely damaged, disrupting healthcare services and putting patients’ lives at risk,” he said.
The solar system, a 1500-kilovolt plant, included 15 solar panels, each with an input capacity of 335 watts.
Councillor Masonga revealed that four panels were completely destroyed, six were partially damaged, and only five remained intact.
The loss of the solar power system has severely hampered the clinic’s operations.
“There is no backup power. The clinic now lacks a reliable energy source, rendering the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system non-functional,” Masonga explained.
He added that nighttime emergencies had become particularly challenging due to the power outage, while the storage and supply of medicines requiring refrigeration were also compromised.
According to the councillor, two staff members who witnessed the incident confirmed the extent of the damage caused by the heavy rains.
Cllr Masonga called on authorities to address the crisis urgently, stressing the importance of immediate repairs or the provision of alternative power solutions.
“Saphila Clinic serves a significant population, and prolonged disruptions to healthcare services can have dire consequences,” he warned.
