Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital (WKTRH) in Trans Nzoia County has installed a modern solar-powered surgery system aimed at guaranteeing uninterrupted electricity during life-saving operations and other critical medical procedures.

The new solar system, which includes battery backup storage, will serve the hospital’s six operating theatres and ensure that essential surgical equipment remains operational even when the national grid experiences outages or power fluctuations.

The investment is expected to significantly improve patient safety, reduce the hospital’s dependence on diesel generators and lower the cost of electricity at the county’s main teaching and referral facility.

Speaking during an interview with Vision News on Thursday, WKTRH Board of Management Chairman Professor Ferdinand Nang’ole described the installation as a major milestone in the transformation of healthcare services in Trans Nzoia County and the wider western Kenya region.

Prof Nang’ole said the move comes at a time when public health facilities are struggling with high electricity bills, rising fuel prices and the heavy cost of maintaining standby generators.

He said the solar-powered surgery system will give the hospital critical energy independence by reducing reliance on the national power grid and eliminating the need to run expensive diesel generators during blackouts.

“Installing a modern solar surgery system during the hard economic times being experienced will provide critical energy independence by eliminating expensive utility bills, ensuring life-saving surgeries continue during blackouts and completely replacing the need for costly diesel generators,” Prof Nang’ole said.

He added that the money saved from fuel, generator maintenance and high electricity bills can now be channelled directly towards improving patient care, purchasing medicines, supporting staff welfare and expanding other essential hospital services.

Prof Nang’ole, a renowned plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon, is an Associate Professor and Head of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit at the University of Nairobi. He said reliable electricity is not a luxury in hospitals but a matter of life and death.

He noted that sudden power interruptions during surgery can place patients at extreme risk, especially those under anaesthesia or those undergoing complex procedures that require constant monitoring and specialised equipment.

“Power fluctuations put patients at extreme risk during critical procedures. Solar setups offer seamless transitions, keeping essential equipment like anaesthesia machines, monitors and surgical lights running safely,” he said.

“The transition to a solar-powered operating environment will bring highly localised and strategic advantages to this facility and others.”

The chairman said operating theatres require stable power to run anaesthesia machines, surgical lights, patient monitors, suction machines, ventilators and other specialised equipment used during operations.

He said a sudden blackout can disrupt a procedure, delay emergency surgery or expose patients to serious complications, particularly in cases involving trauma, maternal emergencies, accidents and critically ill patients.

With the installation of the solar surgery system, WKTRH is expected to maintain continuous power supply to its operating theatres even when there are disruptions in the main electricity network.

Prof Nang’ole said the hospital’s investment in renewable energy is also an environmental milestone because it will reduce carbon emissions associated with diesel generators.

He said green energy, which is generated from renewable sources such as the sun, wind and water, is increasingly becoming important in public institutions because it is cleaner, more affordable and more reliable in the long term.

“Solar energy drastically reduces harmful carbon emissions while providing affordable and reliable power. It also gives institutions energy independence and reduces their exposure to rising fuel and electricity costs,” he said.

WKTRH has in recent months undergone several upgrades aimed at strengthening its capacity to offer specialised healthcare services.

The facility has launched a new Intensive Care Unit, established an oxygen manufacturing plant and installed a state-of-the-art dialysis unit, boosting its ability to handle critically ill patients and reduce referrals to hospitals outside the county.

The addition of the solar-powered surgery system is expected to complement these developments by ensuring that the new medical infrastructure has a stable and dependable source of electricity.

Trans Nzoia County Assembly Finance Committee Chairman Andrew Kutitila welcomed the project and urged residents, businesses, learning institutions and other public facilities to embrace solar energy.

Kutitila, who is also the Sikhendu Ward Member of County Assembly, said solar energy has become a critical investment in healthcare because it protects patients from dangerous equipment failures and helps hospitals cut operational costs.

He said medical facilities cannot afford to depend entirely on unreliable power supply, especially in emergency departments, maternity wards, operating theatres and intensive care units.

“Frequent power outages threaten patient survival in theatres, but solar setups with battery backups provide continuous and reliable power for life-saving equipment,” Kutitila said.

He added that hospitals can save millions of shillings annually by reducing fuel consumption and generator maintenance costs, allowing more resources to be invested in medicines, medical equipment and healthcare personnel.

Health and Sanitation County Executive Committee Member Kerio Lorot said the county government had erected the new solar photovoltaic system as part of a broader effort to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and save lives.

Lorot said solar energy is becoming one of the most important infrastructure investments in modern healthcare because hospitals require dependable electricity to operate equipment used in diagnosis, treatment and emergency care.

He said the system will support a wide range of medical equipment, including centrifuges, microscopes, fetal heartbeat ultrasound tools, oxygen monitors and other essential devices.

“Frequent power outages have in the past threatened patient survival in theatres, but with solar setups and battery backups, we are optimistic that there will be continuous and reliable power for life-saving equipment at the hospital,” Lorot said.

The CECM said the project is aligned with the Trans Nzoia County Government’s wider renewable energy initiatives and the national Universal Health Coverage agenda.

He said reliable energy is central to achieving UHC because health facilities must be able to provide safe, affordable and quality services at all times, including during emergencies and power disruptions.

WKTRH Medical Superintendent Dr Zaituni Mulaa said the solar installation was specifically designed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during crucial surgical procedures.

Dr Mulaa said the hospital’s management is committed to improving service delivery by investing in infrastructure that enhances safety for patients and enables medical workers to perform their duties without interruption.

She said the new system will provide greater confidence to surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists and other theatre staff who previously had to rely on generators whenever there was a blackout.

The solar-powered surgery system is expected to position Wamalwa Kijana Teaching and Referral Hospital as one of the leading public health facilities in the region adopting clean energy solutions to strengthen patient care.

As the county continues to invest in specialised healthcare services, the new project is expected to reduce operational costs, improve emergency response and ensure that no surgical procedure is interrupted because of a power outage.