RCE Greater Nairobi - 2022
Location
Kenya
See map: Google Maps
KE
VacciBox- Portable Solar Healthcare Refrigerator
Region:
Africa and Middle East
Country:
Kenya
Location(s):
Makueni, Kajiado Counties
Address of focal point institution for project:
P.O BOX 75-90138, Makindu. Mulatya Memorial Complex B, Shauri Moyo Area, Off Wote Road, Makindu Makueni
Ecosystem(s):
Dryland
Rural
Rural
Target Audience:
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area :
VacciBox serves low-income, Rural and off-grid communities. It has proven significance in use in areas that experience relatively hot climates and temperatures of 30-40 degrees celcius, hence face cooling challenges.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses:
Globally, 940 million still live without electricity and Africa hosts at least 560 million of this population. Also, 87% of them live in rural areas. My country, Kenya has managed to achieve an 85% electrification rate, but still, millions of people living in the rural lack access to sustainable energy.
Among the challenges of inaccessible electricity in rural Kenya, is the lack of reliable cold storage among low-income communities to serve healthcare facilities, small-scale farmers and SMEs. In healthcare, 50% of vaccines produced go to waste and majority of this loss occurs in Africa due to the cold chain and energy access gaps
Among the challenges of inaccessible electricity in rural Kenya, is the lack of reliable cold storage among low-income communities to serve healthcare facilities, small-scale farmers and SMEs. In healthcare, 50% of vaccines produced go to waste and majority of this loss occurs in Africa due to the cold chain and energy access gaps
Status:
Ongoing
Period:
January, 2020
Rationale:
The goal of the project is to further develop the portable solar fridge to meet the needs of rural and off-grid health facilities, in order to provide affordable, reliable, and sufficient cold storage for vaccines, drugs, blood for transfusion, and other healthcare uses. The project strategy is to manufacture 15 more VacciBox Units and conduct a large-scale pilot program in Kenya. The fridge development and testing will focus on advancing the fridge design further to comply with WHO standards.
Objectives:
1. Manufacture 10 VacciBox units
2. Testing of performance compliance
3. Field testing with at least 50 hospitals
4. Data collection and monitoring
5. Submission of bid to WHO
2. Testing of performance compliance
3. Field testing with at least 50 hospitals
4. Data collection and monitoring
5. Submission of bid to WHO
Activities and/or practices employed:
1. Manufacturing
2. Iteration
3. Metal work
4. Fiber glass moulding
5. Insulation
6. Electrical installation and testing
2. Iteration
3. Metal work
4. Fiber glass moulding
5. Insulation
6. Electrical installation and testing
Results:
Usungu Health Centre in Makueni County is totally off grid. They did not have a cold storage facility prior to the pilot and had to transport vaccines from the nearest level-4 facility twice a week during the Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Clinic days. After the day’s vaccination or when the ice packs began to thaw, remaining vaccines would be transported back to the level-4 facility, 25 kilometres away. With the VacciBox fridge, they can now stock over 1000 vaccine doses and immunizations have increased by 45%. The Nurse in charge at Usungu expressed that VacciBox has saved him a lot of time, money spent on fuel for his motorbike and mental strain in transporting the vaccines to and fro to avoid vaccine spoilage.
Merrueshi Health Centre in Kajiado is connected to a weak/unreliable grid and uses a soda fridge to keep vaccines cold. Being based in a maasai conservancy, they serve a vast and sparsely populated community. Women traverse upto 30 kilometres to attend the MCH clinic which occurs once a week. As a result many women prefer not to take their children to the clinic for immunisation resulting in missed opportunities. With VacciBox, the health workers conduct field vaccinations to reach those children who would otherwise have not received their vaccines. As a result, vaccinations have increased from 150 to 500 per month. The Nurse in charge particularly likes VacciBox because it is light and can be easily moved from one homestead to another using its wheels and comfortable handles.
Merrueshi Health Centre in Kajiado is connected to a weak/unreliable grid and uses a soda fridge to keep vaccines cold. Being based in a maasai conservancy, they serve a vast and sparsely populated community. Women traverse upto 30 kilometres to attend the MCH clinic which occurs once a week. As a result many women prefer not to take their children to the clinic for immunisation resulting in missed opportunities. With VacciBox, the health workers conduct field vaccinations to reach those children who would otherwise have not received their vaccines. As a result, vaccinations have increased from 150 to 500 per month. The Nurse in charge particularly likes VacciBox because it is light and can be easily moved from one homestead to another using its wheels and comfortable handles.
Pictures:
File Name | Caption for picture | Photo Credit |
---|---|---|
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VacciBox on a bicycle | Drop Access |
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VacciBox at a health facilility | Drop Access |
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Indirect
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation
Direct
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Direct
Disaster Risk Reduction
Indirect
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy
state:
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments
state:
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers
state:
Indirect
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth
state:
Indirect
I acknowledge the above:
Yes