By Joseph Mary Buwule
Buvuma Island, Uganda — October 6, 2025
Makerere University, under the Sustainable Off-grid Solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA) Project, has donated and installed a modern solar-powered water and energy facility at Buvuma Health Centre IV, a remote island hospital on Lake Victoria. The intervention is transforming healthcare delivery at one of Uganda’s most hard-to-reach health facilities that has long struggled with inadequate electricity, lack of clean water, and poor cold storage for medicines and vaccines.
A Lifeline for an Isolated Community
Buvuma Health Centre IV serves thousands of island residents but has for years operated under difficult conditions — limited electricity supply, no reliable cold room for medicines, and no modern neonatal unit to care for premature babies.
To address such challenges, Makerere University, in partnership with 13 organizations from Europe and Africa, implemented the SophiA Project, funded by the European Union (Project: 101036836 — SophiA — H2020-LC-GD-2-3-2020). The project, which started in October 2021 and concluded in September 2025, was piloted in four African countries — Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, and Uganda — with the aim of providing sustainable off-grid energy solutions for rural and remote health facilities.
Powering Healthcare Through Innovation
The new SophiA system installed at Buvuma Health Centre IV will provide:
• 36 kWp solar power generation with a 13 kVA standby generator for cloudy days.
• Safe and clean 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 those for Covid-19 or Ebola.
• Ice production and Scheffler solar shields for outdoor cooking.
According to Assoc. Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu, the project’s Principal Investigator from Makerere University’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, the uniqueness of the SophiA system lies in its containerized design, which integrates multiple energy and water systems within 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,” Prof. Kiggundu explained.
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.
Enhancing Service Delivery
In addition to electricity and water, the facility now boasts Xsol solar heaters at the maternity wing, providing warm bathing water for mothers and newborns, and additional power for lighting and running the neonatal unit. The Scheffler shields allow hospital staff to prepare meals and sterilize items efficiently using solar energy — reaching temperatures up to 200°C.
Makerere University’s Commitment to Research and Innovation
Representing Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Prof. Julia Kigozi, Dean of the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-Engineering, highlighted that 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 added that only 28% of health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa have reliable electricity, and that Uganda’s rural health centres still face frequent blackouts and low voltage, disrupting service delivery — challenges that SophiA directly addresses.
A Model for Rural Health Transformation
Prof. Kigozi further 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.
She commended the European Union’s Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) for funding the project and paid tribute to the late Prof. Noble Banadda, one of the project’s visionaries, for his pioneering work in sustainable energy research.
Local Leaders Applaud the Initiative
Buvuma District leaders hailed the project as a milestone in improving healthcare delivery in the island district.
Mr. Waswa Adrian Ddungu, the District Chairperson, expressed gratitude to 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.”
Mr. Mboge Issa, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Buvuma District, announced the formation of a local supervisory committee to oversee the facility’s smooth operation and sustainability.
Healthcare Workers Rejoice
Dr. Ndyanabo Remigio, the Senior Medical Officer and In-charge of Buvuma Health Centre IV, said the project has already transformed operations at the hospital:
“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.”
A Step Toward Sustainable Development
With the SophiA installation, Buvuma Health Centre IV is now among the few island-based hospitals in Uganda with modern renewable energy infrastructure, setting a benchmark for sustainable healthcare delivery in off-grid regions.
The project demonstrates how innovation, research, and international partnerships can create real change in Africa’s rural health systems — lighting up not just facilities, but lives.
