The Connected Solar Clinic is the first structure of its kind, enabling a superior level of medical services in off-grid settings. On Wednesday, 18 January 2017, it was officially inaugurated by a representative of the Jordanian Ministry of Health in the Mafraq Governorate. This adds to the capacities of the Ministry of Health in the bordering region to Syria where the medical facilities for local residents and Syrian refugees are outnumbered. The clinic designed and implemented by SOLARKIOSK is equipped with high-quality medical diagnostics and treatment equipment, such as an ultrasound and a hematology lab, and is able to treat up to 75 patients per day.
Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, a vast number of Syrian refugees have fled to bordering countries. Today, almost 700,000 refugees live in Jordan alone according to UNHCR. The Al-Mafraq region in Jordan hosts a substantial part of the migrating population due to the proximity of the Syrian borderline, with refugees living in the Zaatari refugee camp as well as in off-camp conditions. This increase in Mafraq’s inhabitants has put considerable strain on the governorate’s medical facilities, necessitating the establishment of additional facilities, outfitted with the required modern medical equipment, to cope with increased demand from residents and refugees alike.
Deputizing for Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Al-Sheyyab, Director of the Planning Department at the Ministry of Health Dr. Basheer Al Qaseer affirms: “The Connected Solar Clinic provides us with much-needed capacity to ensure healthcare for Syrian refugees as well as the local community in the Al-Mafraq region. Its unique setup makes it a reference project and we hope for more international support to benefit vulnerable communities in Jordan.”
Siemens Stiftung, alongside with project implementation partner SOLARKIOSK, has enabled the launch of the Connected Solar Clinic – a unique solution based on an award-winning design that is meant to enhance healthcare in the region and contribute to easing tensions in a highly vulnerable host community.
Rolf Huber, Managing Director of Siemens Stiftung said: “Global refugee movements are one of the key challenges of our time – politically, economically and socially. With the Connected Solar Clinic and its high-quality medical diagnostics and treatment equipment, we want to make a positive contribution to improving people’s lives in the region.”
The Connected Solar Clinic is entirely autonomous from the electrical grid and powers a range of medical devices by additional project partners DOAA Trading Establishment and First National Medical Service (FNMS). To add to that, the solar energy that powers the clinic also supports broadband connectivity that links it to the digital health platform of the Jordanian Ministry of Health.
“SOLARKIOSK’s design enables multiple functionalities which are crucial in humanitarian crisis: energy, health, connectivity. With the Connected Solar Clinic, we designed a solution which is power-autonomous and can as a kit-of-parts easily be implemented in any area where people – refugees or not – are in dire need for medical treatment.” as noted by Andreas Spiess, CEO, and Co-founder of SOLARKIOSK.
In order to contribute to alleviating other challenges in the humanitarian field such as off-grid water purification, Siemens Stiftung and SOLARKIOSK have jointly established the SolarFountain gGmbH in 2015.
Siemens Stiftung – as a non-profit corporate foundation, Siemens Stiftung promotes sustainable social development, which is crucially dependent on access to basic services, high-quality education, and an understanding of culture. To this effect, the foundation’s project work supports people in taking the initiative to responsibly address current challenges. Together with partners, Siemens Stiftung develops and implements solutions and programs to support this effort, with technological and social innovation playing a central role. The actions of Siemens Stiftung are impact-oriented and conducted in a transparent manner.
SOLARKIOSK’s vast portfolio of off-grid technology solutions such as the Connected Solar Clinic, as well as expertise in design, implementation and technical support have made the Berlin-based company a trusted partner of private companies, NGOs and governmental organizations for off-grid energy and connectivity infrastructure for medicine, education, retail, water purification and a variety of other purposes.
On a mission to enable and empower off-grid populations through access to energy, connectivity, financial inclusion, and sustainable consumer goods, SOLARKIOSK also serves as the last mile distribution channel to underserved communities through an ever-growing pan-African network of close to 200 kiosks.