FOCOS hospital commissions largest off-grid solar project in Africa

As part of its commitment to deliver premium orthopaedic healthcare in Ghana and beyond, Foundation of Complex Orthopaedic Spine (FOCOS) has commissioned the largest off-grid solar hospital project in Africa. The project, which is the first of its kind, estimated at over $1.8million, was made possible through the benevolent gesture of Mr. and Mrs. Helylands, a US couple who doled out $1million, and the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC), giving out $600,000. Sun Power Innovations, the engineers behind the installation of the project, also gave a whopping $400,000 discount on the project. Representing the Deputy Minister for Energy, the Director for Renewable Energy at the Ministry, Wisdom Togobo, lauded the efforts of all the donors/sponsors for this gesture. “It is the desire of government to install solar energy to the remote areas. FOCOS Hospital by far consumes a lot more energy hence this philanthropic gesture is a good one.” He encouraged the private sector to come in to augment the effort of the Ministry of Energy to provide roof-top solar power to needy areas and institutions. He reiterated the importance of solar in the face of huge costs normal electricity brings to bear on FOCOS power bills. It pays a little over GHS100, 000 on power every month. Expressing his excitement on the fruition of this project, Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, the President and Founder of FOCOS Hospital, appealed to the public to support FOCOS Hospital as they are a philanthropic hospital taking care of patients who cannot afford spine, joint and bone related surgery. He narrated how the funding of this project came into realization. He emphasised the fact that a patient in the US (Helylands) who had been treated and made to stand tall, decided to give towards this solar project. “For us this means more money for the patients as the power bills will be cut off at least 60 per cent.” He expressed his immense gratitude to the donors of this project, which is a 700kwp Hybrid Solar System with LMWH Battery Storage. He also used the occasion to appeal to all present to support an endowment fund campaign aimed at raising $50million to support needy patients, a fund which will be made possible if at least 500,000 Ghanaians will contribute GHS100 to this fund for 5 years. Speaking on the plethora of benefits this installation will give FOCOS, Mr. Eric Adjah, Technical Lead for SunPower Innovation, said, “this is one of the first in the hospital sector and it will help FOCOS Hospital cut down on its huge power bills, no more power shut down, it provides a 24-hour supply to the hospital in addition to the generator.” Among the FOCOS Management members present at the ceremony were Ambassordor Fritz Poku, Board Chairman of FOCOS Hospital, Dr. Joseph Ogyaadu, Medical Director, Dr. Ofori Amankwah, Director for Medical Services, and Dr. Irene Wulff, Associate Medical Director. The Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) is a non-profit organization, established in 1998 in the United States and Ghana by Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, who was Chief of the Scoliosis Service at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill-Corner Medical College of Cornell University. FOCOS mission is to provide comprehensive, affordable orthopedic care to those who would not otherwise have access to such treatment. Source: 3news.com|Ghana]]>