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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
GWANDA Provincial Hospital is set to enjoy improved energy efficiency that guarantees consistent power supply following the commissioning and handover of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting retrofit project .
Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo, on Thursday handed over the upgraded lighting system, which was sponsored by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) to the tune of about US$35 000 and is set to improve the quality of care offered at Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
The initiative allows the provincial referral hospital to transition to advanced LED technology. As a result, the hospital will significantly reduce its energy consumption and operational costs, ensuring more resources can be directed towards critical patient care.
The LED lighting retrofit project is part of an initiative that has been rolled out by Zera across all provincial hospitals in the country.
“One of the most important sources of energy, which we can contribute to the energy balance in the country is from energy efficiency. It can contribute to generation of energy,” Minister Moyo said.
“By conserving the use of electricity in your areas, you are actually contributing to generation. What has been done here by Zera is contributing to the energy balance in Zimbabwe.
“Non-load shedding, which we are experiencing in the country is because we are increasing our interventions in the energy efficiency side. This, where Zera comes in. Zera has been moving around inspecting the ills on non-energy efficiency and how they can intervene.
“When the supply side increases and the demand side increases faster then it means there won’t be adequate energy, which leads to load shedding. If the supply side is constant and use of energy is reduced because of efficiency, we have balance,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the retrofitting project reflects the Government’s unwavering commitment to enhancing energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy.
He said in healthcare setting, lighting is not a luxury but a clinical requirement. Minister Moyo said the state-of-the-art LED lighting will reduce the risk of clinical errors and create a workspace that boosts the morale and efficiency of medical staff.
“This project is a cornerstone of our national development trajectory. As we move decisively into the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) era, our mandate is clear — we must optimise our resources and build resilient infrastructure,” he said.
“One of the key pillars of NDS2 is infrastructure and utilities. This retrofit project reduces the ‘demand-side’ pressure on our national grid. Every watt saved here in Gwanda is a watt that can be diverted to our mines, our schools and our homes.”
Zera board chairperson, Dr Engineer Farai Mavhiya-Bhiza said Gwanda Provincial Hospital is the sixth hospital in the country to be retrofitted by the authority, after Mpilo, Harare Children’s, Chinhoyi, Victoria Chitepo and Gweru Provincial hospitals.
Zera is targeting to have all provincial hospitals retrofitted in the next two years.
Four provincial hospitals are yet to be retrofitted. “As Zera, it’s also our responsibility to support and promote sustainability and initiatives that help to minimise energy wastage in the country. As a corporate citizen, our organisation is implementing actual solutions that go beyond energy but serve social problems, improve lighting and healthcare in this case,” she said.
“Zera has an annual budget allocation towards energy sustainability and is aimed at achieving energy savings using efficient lighting systems to curtail electricity consumption, hence reducing the hospital’s energy bills.”
Gwanda Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Shadreck Gororo extended gratitude to Zera for prioritising Gwanda Provincial Hospital in its national energy efficiency programme. He said quality healthcare is not only about medicines and personnel, but also about the infrastructure that supports service delivery.
“Energy is the backbone of modern healthcare. From lighting our wards and theatres, to powering critical equipment, our operations depend heavily on reliable and efficient energy systems,” he said.
“Historically, like many public institutions, we have faced challenges related to high energy consumption and rising operational costs. The LED retrofitting project comes as a strategic intervention to address these challenges. Beyond cost savings, this project has direct implications for patient care. Improved lighting enhances visibility for our healthcare workers, particularly in high-stakes areas such as theatres, maternity units and emergency departments.
“It supports our core mandate — delivering quality, safe and efficient healthcare services for both patients and staff,” he said.
Government is finalising the National Energy Efficiency Policy to promote energy-saving measures and enhance the adoption of energy-efficient technologies across Zimbabwe. – @DubeMatutu.
Online Reporter