Rotary Clubs Donate Solar Power System To Magboro Health Centre To Improve Healthcare Delivery

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The Rotary Club of Arepo Longbridge, District 9112, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Pikeville-Owings Mills, Maryland, USA, District 7620 has donated a 5kVA/15kW Energy Storage System (ESS) solar power project to the Primary Health Centre, Oke Afa, Magboro, Ogun State, to enhance healthcare delivery and address persistent electricity challenges at the facility.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Rotarian Lanre Adedoyin, District Governor of Rotary District 9112, described the project as one that would have a significant impact on the community, particularly on maternal and child healthcare.

According to him, women often faced anxiety during childbirth due to inadequate lighting at the health centre caused by power outages.

“The community will benefit immensely from this project. The women who give birth to children are always anxious and concerned that whenever they wanted to give birth, there was no light and the illumination is almost nil,” he said.

He noted that the solar power installation would improve the healthcare environment, bring relief to residents, and further demonstrate Rotary’s commitment to serving communities through impactful projects.

Rotarian Engineer Richard Oguntoyinbo, President of the Rotary Club of Arepo Longbridge, said the project was conceived following a community needs assessment conducted at the beginning of the 2025–2026 Rotary year.

He explained that the assessment revealed serious challenges affecting healthcare delivery, especially at night, with healthcare workers sometimes relying on mobile phone flashlights, touch lights, candles and other improvised sources of illumination while attending to patients, including women in labour and emergency cases.

Oguntoyinbo said the club initially identified both electricity and laboratory needs at the health facility but prioritised power supply because of its critical role in saving lives.

“We had incidents where they had to treat people with candle lights,” he said.

Faced with the high cost of the project, the club sought support from its international partner, the Rotary Club of Pikeville-Owings Mills, Maryland, USA, which agreed to collaborate and co-fund the initiative.

He said the solar project aligns with Rotary International’s focus areas of disease prevention and treatment, maternal and child healthcare, and environmental sustainability.

According to him, the solar power system is expected to provide reliable electricity for between 12 and 18 hours, ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services even during prolonged outages.

“The purpose of this project is basically to save lives,” Oguntoyinbo said.

He added that the project would improve maternal and child health outcomes, enhance patient care and staff productivity, reduce dependence on fossil fuel-powered generators, and provide sustainable support for healthcare infrastructure in the community.

Speaking virtually from the United States, Rotarian Josephine Larogbo, President of the Rotary Club of Pikeville-Owings Mills, said the club embraced the project after reviewing the needs assessment conducted by its Nigerian counterpart.

An electrical engineer by training, she said the project resonated strongly with her and disclosed that the American club contributed nearly $4,000 toward its execution.

She expressed satisfaction at the completion of the project and pledged continued collaboration to support communities in Arepo, Magboro and surrounding areas.

Also speaking, the project chairman, Rotarian Tayo Egunjobi, said the solar power project was informed by needs assessments carried out before the commencement of the Rotary year and was implemented through collaborations with international Rotary partner.

He urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the facilities, assuring them that the club would continue to monitor the projects and pursue additional interventions in the future.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the Obafemi Owode Local Government Health Authority, Ajayi Augustina expressed appreciation to Rotary for what she described as a long-awaited intervention.

She noted that health workers had often operated under stressful conditions due to heat and darkness, particularly during evening shifts, affecting service delivery and attracting complaints from residents.

“Now, we are saying that this has become a thing of the past. We are promising the community more work and more efficiency from our staff,” she said, while pledging that the facility would properly maintain the solar installation.