Senate report flags life-threatening solar gaps at Bulawayo hospitals
Senate Watch
BULAWAYO — A Senate committee has called for urgent action to make solar systems at district hospitals operational and to extend solar power to the mortuary and laundry at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), warning that failures in switching systems could endanger patients.
The concerns are contained in a report on energy security tabled in the Senate on Tuesday by the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security.
The committee said UBH, a central referral hospital serving five provinces, installed a 350-kilowatt solar plant in February 2026 through funding from the UNDP Global Fund and the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The installation has reduced the hospital’s reliance on diesel, while helping to protect critical departments such as intensive care and incubator services.
However, the committee said the solar coverage does not yet include the mortuary and laundry departments. It also raised concern over automatic-switching faults that can require manual intervention.
“Critical departments such as the mortuary and laundry remain uncovered and concerns persist over delays of up to 20 minutes in manual switch-over during automatic system glitches,” the report said.
It said solar systems at Nyika and Maphisa district hospitals had been installed but were still not operating.
Senator Chapfudza, who supported the report, said electricity reliability in hospitals was directly linked to patient safety.
“Hospitals require electricity to operate life-saving equipment,” Chapfudza told the Senate. “When electricity becomes unreliable, the consequence goes beyond inconvenience.”
He said the UBH installation showed that renewable energy could support essential services rather than being merely an environmental intervention.
“This demonstrates that renewable energy is not an abstract environment concept. It can directly save money and support the delivery of essential public service,” he said.
The committee recommended that the Health and Child Care Ministry, working with the Energy and Power Development Ministry and development partners, activate non-operational solar plants at Nyika, Maphisa and other district hospitals by December 31, 2026. It also recommended that solar coverage at UBH be extended to the mortuary and laundry by the same date.
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