Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is set to install a solar power system, reducing its dependency on Kenya Power while improving patient care and lowering its carbon footprint.
With the support of EIB Global, the development arm of the European Investment Bank, and the German agency GIZ, KNH is preparing to install a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy system to meet its growing electricity demands.
The solar project will be backed by a Sh7.6 million (€50,000) grant from the Cities Climate Finance Gap Fund, a joint initiative of the World Bank and EIB, to support detailed technical studies and financial assessments required to plan and integrate the solar system.
The initiative aims to enhance the hospital’s energy independence, reduce reliance on expensive and unstable grid power, and minimise the use of diesel generators, which currently meet only about 65 percent of demand during outages.
“Our goal is a climate smart future,” said Edward Claessen, head of EIB Regional Hub for East Africa.
“We are committed to supporting KNH in its transition to green electricity. The forthcoming technical studies will lay the ground for successful implementation of the PV system.”
GIZ will lead the technical and financial evaluations, assessing energy use patterns, the feasibility of PV integration, regulatory hurdles and financial modelling for both installation and long-term maintenance.
Evanson Kamuri, the chief executive of KNH said the shift to solar energy is expected to generate significant cost savings, which the hospital plans to reinvest in critical services, including buying medicines, hiring staff and upgrading infrastructure.
“This collaboration marks a significant step in our commitment to sustainable healthcare delivery. By integrating energy efficiency and climate-smart solutions, KNH is not only enhancing operational resilience but also setting a benchmark for environmentally responsible healthcare infrastructure in the region,” said Dr Kamuri.
As the largest public health facility in East Africa, with 2,400 beds and treating around two million patients each year, KNH is burdened by high electricity bills and frequent blackouts, which put a strain on its budget, and endanger critically ill patients during power interruptions.
