APR—JUN 2021 Volume 8, Issue 2 GHANA SEforALL GHANA SEforALL NEWS SECRETARIAT GHANA’S SEforALL ACTION AGENDA SEEKS TO: In this Issue Ensure Universal Access to Modern Energy Services Praprababida and 29 Other Communities in the Afram Plains Receive Solar Power Systems and Vaccine Refrigerators Improving Healthcare Services Increase the Share of Renewable Energy in the Tens of Thousands of Kerosene Lanterns Displaced by Solar Lantern in Rural National Energy Mix Households Increase the National Rate of Aprovecho Research Centre, USA, Collaborates with the Clean Cooking Alliance to Improvement in Energy Train 15 Personnel to Administer ISO Laboratory Test Protocols for Cookstoves Efficiency 10 Communities in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region Participate in the Rural Clean Cooking Project The People of Chokome Reached with 300 Improved Cookstoves Under the Ghana Improved Cookstove Distribution Project PROGRESS ON HIGH IMPACT PRIORITY AREAS Contents ENSURE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO MODERN ENERGY Progress on High Impact Priority 1-5 SERVICES Areas Decentralised Renewable Electricity Improved Medical Services for Rural Clinics Through Solar Improved Medical Services for Rural Clinics Through Solar Power Power The beautiful districts of Afram Plains have a lot of farming villages and communities with Solar Lantern Promotion hardworking inhabitants. Aunty Ama is one of these people. She farms tomatos together with her husband in the village of Praprababida. They have one child and are expecting another. However Programme (SLAPP) both are worried about the pregnancy as the birth of their first child, Kojo, came with Capacity Building of Cookstove complications. Testing Centers to Administer In the late hours of the night, in September 2019, Aunty Ama had severe contractions and needed the ISO Laboratory Test to be rushed to a clinic. The rural clinic in Praprababida which is officially called the Protocols Community-based Healthcare Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds was not operating at that Rural Clean Cooking Project time, since it is not connected to the national electricity grid. The closest operating health centre at that time is in Donkorkrom, over 10km away. Partner Spotlight 5-6 The only means of transportation for the people of Praprababida to Donkorkrom is by foot, Ghana Improved Cookstoves motorbikes or tricycles. The roads are unfortunately untarred and not in very good conditions. Distribution Project (GICDP) This makes it very dangerous to travel on them especially at night, as there is no lighting along the roads nor in communities close to the roads due to lack of electricity. Aunty Ama had to be transported via a motorbike on these same road whiles having severe contractions. On arriving at the clinic, she was in a critical condition. Doctors mentioned that there were complications with the pregnancy and that her life and that of the baby’s were hanging by a thread. Fortunately, they managed to handle the situation and saved their lives. It was a very traumatising experience for her. Therefore, when she found out she was pregnant again from the “In-charge” (health personnel) of Praprababida CHPS, she was unhappy. Page 2 Volume 8 Issue 2 This is often the story of most pregnant German Federal Ministry of Economic Effects of solar power on the quality of women, living in rural areas especially in the Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to install medical service in rural Ghana unelectrified island communities of Afram Solar Power Systems and Vaccine Plains. Pregnant women must travel via boats Refrigerators in thirty (30) Rural Clinics in After the installation of the PV systems, health or canoes, then by motorbikes or tricycles Ghana. workers like Belinda will now be available at before accessing health centers during and live in the CHPS, 24 hours daily to provide As a first step, they selected 10 unelectrified critical conditions at night or odd hours. their services. Also, these health workers will clinics with no access to the electricity grid in Although the travel via water and by now be able to use the necessary equipment Afram Plains districts of the Eastern Region. motorbike at night is unsafe and dangerous, like ultrasound scanners, sterilisers, at their In April the installations of the solar power they have no other option, this has always facilities. This will reduce child and maternal systems, of lighting appliances and vaccine been their story sadly. mortality, raise life expectancy, improve fridges were successfully completed by a health services as well as improve working local solar company. Now, lighting, cooling, and living conditions of people in these rural ventilation and sterilization at the rural clinics areas. run on solar power. Medical services like obstetrics and vaccine campaigns have been Pregnant Aunty Ama can now visit uplifted to a modern standard. Praprababida CHPS at any time of the day especially at night. The fear and anxiety about Furthermore, health workers from Ghana her second pregnancy have reduced due to Health Services and selected local persons, the knowledge that the in-charge will be especially females, from the nearby available 24/7. She is anxiously looking In-charges of Praprababida CHPS from an outreach communities have been trained to operate and forward to the clinic having and using the (Photo credit: GIZ Ghana) manage the system. Maintenance response is necessary equipment for her and other also provided by the installation company. The pregnant women. She is glad she would not communities were advised to partly monetize have to travel long distances for health Belinda is the “In-Charge” of CHPS in the solar system through phone and torch services especially in the case of a pregnancy Praprababida. It is one of more than 500 rural charging. This allows to generate funds for complication. clinics in Ghana that were created to help replacements and repairs of the installed reduce health inequalities, promote basic material. Ghana Health Service has stated that COVID- health care as well as remove geographical 19 vaccine campaigns need to reach out to In the next months to come, 20 more rural barriers to healthcare for rural communities. rural areas. With the availability of electricity sites will be electrified, and medical As many of the CHPS are unelectrified, she is from solar power, the needed cooling infrastructure will be improved. All locations however unable to provide her services at facilities in rural areas store vaccines are marked on the map with a total outreach night. properly and ensure their adequate of some 65,000 persons. distribution and application in the light of the When she tried to be available overnight at pandemic. her clinic, it was unsafe and uncomfortable for her as sometimes there were scorpions and Report by: Marina Dede K. Agortimevor, snakes hiding in the dark. Without electricity Technical Advisor for Renewable Energy, she is unable to work well, since there is no GIZ Ghana. For more information about the light, no ultrasound scanner nor cold stored medicine. Therefore, Belinda lives in towns project, contact her via [email protected]. close by and travels the CHPS each day. Due Photo above and below: Installation of solar PV to all this, unelectrified CHPS hardly operate panels at a CHPS; and people in community watching 24/7. installation work (Photo credit: GIZ Ghana) The Ghana Health Service (GHS) took this into Solar Lantern Promotion Programme consideration, jointly with the German (SLAPP) Development Cooperation (GIZ), and decided to focus on Afram Plains North and South The Solar Lantern Promotion Programme district to improve the existing health (SLAPP) being implemented by the Ministry of services. Energy as a pre-electrification intervention in off-grid communities is still ongoing. In the Last year, they received funds from the Page 3 Volume 8, Issue 2 year 2020, a total of 28,827 solar lanterns System (PEMS) gas sensor calibration and for the competence of testing and calibration were disseminated to rural households. For this bias checks. laboratories. year, as at June, 2,068 solar lanterns have Reference calibrations of LEMS The training was conducted by Mr. Samuel been disseminated. The beneficiary districts, temperature and flow sensors. for 2020/2021, include: Afigya Sekyere East, Bentson, General Manager, ARC. The event was graced by representatives from the Gwira Axim, Abuakwa North, Ellembelle, Assin PM2.5 filter weighing at 0.01 mg resolution. South, Kpandai, Manhyia South, Bole Bamboi, Ministry of Energy, Energy Commission, and LEMS leak checks and dilution tunnel the Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and Jomoro, Krachi Nchumuru, Adoagyiri, maintenance. Lambussie, Tano North, Salaga North, Biakoya, Fuels (GHACCO). Bunkpurugu, etc. Black carbon measurement using the Nexleaf reference card. A few reactions from the trainees Controlled Cooking Tests with LEMS to KNUST-TCC Increase Access to Improved Biomass inform ISO test. “The performance of calibration of the sensor Cookstove box onsite as part of the training is a huge Capacity Building of Cookstove Testing relief. We can now perform our calibration Centers to Administer the ISO Laboratory before every test is done. The cost of sending Test Protocols the sensor box (about GHS 8,000.00) previously to Aprovecho every year for The Aprovecho Research Centre (ARC) in calibration has been saved.” Oregon, United States of America (USA), collaborated with the Clean Cooking Alliance CSIR-IIR (CCA) to train fifteen (15) personnel of the Photo above and below: Installation of sensor box “Knowing how to test according to the ISO Council for Scientific and Industrial Research calibration system; and installation of LEMS 19867 - 1(2018), an international standard, will (CSIR) - Institute for Industrial Research (IIR) - (Photo credit: CSIR-IIR) give clients the assurance of the quality of Regional Testing and Knowledge Centre (RTKC), services we offer.” and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) - Technology “Being able to perform the quality checks Consultancy Centre (TCC) - Cookstove Testing before every test gives us confidence in the and Expertise Centre.