A 36 kWp solar power generation system with a 13 kVA standby generator for cloudy days has been installed at Buvuma Health Centre IV by Makerere University, in a move expected to accelerate efficient health service delivery at the facility.
Officials say the project is a game changer for one of Uganda’s most hard-to-reach health centres, which has long grappled with unreliable electricity, unsafe water, and poor cold storage for medicines and vaccines.
Through the Sustainable Off-grid Solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA) Project, Makerere University officially handed over the modern solar-powered water and energy facility to Buvuma Health Centre IV on October 6.
The health centre serves thousands of island residents but has for years operated under difficult conditions – limited electricity, no reliable cold room for medicines, and no modern neonatal unit to care for premature babies.
To address these challenges, Makerere University partnered with 13 organisations from Europe and Africa under the SophiA Project, funded by the European Union (Project: 101036836 -SophiA-H2020-LC-GD-2-3-2020).
The project, which began in October 2021 and concluded in September 2025, was piloted in four African countries, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, and Uganda, to provide sustainable off-grid energy solutions for rural and remote health facilities.
According to officials, the new SophiA system at Buvuma Health Centre IV will supply 36 kWp of solar power, backed by a 13 kVA generator for cloudy days. It also provides safe drinking water for patients and staff, hot water and steam for bathing, sterilization, and cooking, cooling systems for medicine storage (+5°C), blood plasma (-30°C), and sensitive vaccines such as Covid-19 and Ebola, as well as ice production and Scheffler solar shields for outdoor cooking.
Assoc. Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu, the project’s Principal Investigator from Makerere University’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, said the SophiA system’s uniqueness lies in its containerized design, which integrates multiple energy and water systems into a single modular unit.
‘This container houses power generation, water purification through ultrafiltration, cooling and refrigeration using natural refrigerants, de-ionized water production, and steam generation for sterilization, all managed through a computerized SCADA system,’ he said.
The Supervised Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system monitors and controls all operations, ensuring efficiency, safety, and data-driven decision-making.
‘To enhance safety when handling flammable natural refrigerants like propane (R290), the compressor and condenser are installed in a separate ventilated compartment outside the main container,’ he added.
Dr Dyanabo Remigio, the Senior Medical Officer and in charge of Buvuma Health Centre IV, said the project has already transformed the hospital’s operations.
‘We can now store blood and vaccines safely, sterilize equipment, and provide clean drinking water, all powered by solar energy. Before SophiA, we struggled to operate critical units like the laboratory and neonatal ward due to lack of electricity,’ he said.
Mr Waswa Adrian Ddungu, the District Chairperson, thanked Makerere University and the European Union for prioritizing Buvuma.
‘This facility now gives us hope. We pledge to maintain and protect this investment so it can continue to serve our people for generations,’ he said.
Mr Mboge Issa, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Buvuma District, announced the formation of a local supervisory committee to ensure the smooth operation and sustainability of the facility.
Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, in a speech read by Prof Julia Kigozi, the Dean of the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering, said the SophiA Project reflects Makerere’s vision as a research-led institution contributing to Africa’s sustainable development.
‘We are here today to celebrate a landmark innovation that strengthens health systems in remote areas,’ said Prof. Kigozi.
‘The SophiA project is timely, given that many African health facilities still operate without reliable electricity or clean water. This project brings real, life-changing solutions.’
She noted that only 28 percent of health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa have reliable electricity, while Uganda’s rural health centres continue to experience frequent blackouts and low voltage, challenges the SophiA system directly addresses.
Prof Kigozi also revealed that Makerere University has implemented a similar project at Mua Mission Hospital in Dedza, Malawi, and that both installations will serve as learning laboratories for Makerere students and researchers across disciplines.