Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
SAFE storage of medicines and vaccines in health institutions is increasingly under threat due to inefficient cooling systems and the looming burden of climate change, energy efficiency experts have warned.
As a result, Government is now calling for urgent investment in sustainable refrigeration technologies to protect public health.
Speaking at the World Refrigeration Day commemorations held in Mutare, Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza called for sustainable refrigeration across the province’s health institutions.
Minister Mugadza warned that rising temperatures due to climate change are already placing the health systems under enormous stress.
“As temperatures rise, demand for cooling increases and that affects everything from how we store vaccines to how patients recover in hospital wards. If we do not act now to adopt sustainable refrigeration systems, we risk creating secondary health disasters,” said Minister Mugadza.
He said climate change is not a distant threat, but a present danger, and Manicaland is poised to lead the response through innovations in cold-chain logistics and solar-powered health infrastructure.
Minister Mugadza said responsible energy use and personnel training in refrigeration should now be viewed as essential components of public health strategy.
“These are green innovations that are not just about environmental justice, but also about protecting the lives of our people. We are seeing promising progress in this province, but we need to scale up quickly,” he said.
Energy efficiency expert, Engineer Benson Zeyi said refrigeration systems form the backbone of medical storage, and their failure, particularly in rural clinics, can result in dangerous outcomes for patients relying on temperature-sensitive treatments.
“If you are admitted to hospital and require blood, that blood must have been properly refrigerated from the moment it was donated. Much of the medication we rely on — vaccines, insulin, chemotherapy drugs — which must be kept within specific temperature ranges. Without reliable refrigeration, we risk lives,” said Engineer Zeyi.
He also warned that climate change and an overloaded national grid increase the risk of refrigeration failure, urging health facilities to adopt Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to transition from outdated, energy-hungry appliances to energy-efficient technologies that are cost-effective and safer for health systems.
“With MEPS, we can shift from inefficient appliances to smart systems that reduce power consumption. This means lower electricity bills, fewer breakdowns, and reduced carbon footprint, all while ensuring our blood banks, rural pharmacies, and hospitals store medicine safely,” he said. Engineer Zeyi said the environmental cost of powering inefficient refrigeration systems extends to human health through air pollution, respiratory diseases, and the indirect effects of climate change.
“When we use inefficient refrigerators, we burn more coal to meet demand, increasing emissions and worsening air quality. If we improve our energy use, we not only save money but also reduce environmental risks that eventually manifest in our hospitals as asthma, heart disease, and heat-related illnesses,” he said.
Engineer Zeyi said sustainable cooling technologies, such as solar-powered refrigeration and high-efficiency air conditioning, can significantly reduce the country’s energy burden while improving service delivery in healthcare and beyond.
He also stressed the need for consumer awareness campaigns to help institutions and households make informed purchasing decisions.
“Energy efficiency is health efficiency. We must educate our health administrators, procurement officers, and even patients that buying the right refrigerator is not just about performance, but also about public safety,” he said. Engineer Zeyi also emphasized that refrigeration is an urgent, public-facing health issue.
“We cannot afford to treat refrigeration like an afterthought. It is a crucial part of our first line of defence in healthcare delivery, food security, and climate adaptation,” he said.
Also addressing the gathering, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Association of Zimbabwe chairman, Mr Caign Manyukwa said refrigeration is a social equaliser in health access.
“We are not just fixing fridges; we are preserving life through cold blood banks, vaccine safety, and air-conditioned recovery wards. We are doing this for free in some underserved areas because we believe every Zimbabwean deserves access to safe refrigeration, regardless of where they live,” said Manyukwa.
He highlighted his organisation ongoing outreach efforts to provide refrigeration support to marginalised communities, clinics, and schools. He also urged the government to formally recognise refrigeration technicians within the public health sector and expand technical training opportunities.
He noted that new technologies are emerging, allowing refrigerators to run on solar power, and emphasised the importance of introducing such innovations into Zimbabwe’s health system, especially in remote areas where electricity supply is unstable.
