The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) says the adoption of rainwater harvesting technologies can help to minimise water challenges in the country's health facilities. 

MUBAS Associate professor in the department of public and environmental health sciences, Christabel Kambala believes if well utilised, technologies such as, SODIS solar-powered initiative, can effectively alleviate water problems facing the health sector. 

 

Professor Kambala said this on Tuesday when she presented a two-year implementation study on the technology to be carried out at Thyolo district hospital, Chimvu and Thekerani health centres, having implemented elsewhere in Uganda in addressing diarrhea and water challenges in primary schools.

 

"We will be harvesting the rainwater going into the tanks of any kind that the facilities will choose and then be treated using UV light. From there, they will move from the tanks to the reactors where some pathogens will be killed after six hours before channelled to any other places for use," she said. 

 

He has added that they are also engaging the private sector to see if they can manufacture it locally for household use. 

 

Thyolo District Health Office administrator, John Phiri has lauded the technology which will help to supply enough and clean water to the communities and institutions, adding the district facilities are facing water woes.

 

"As a district, we are very much happy to have this project. This would help us to minimise water challenges that we face day in, out which in turn will actually eradicate waterborne diseases such as cholera in the district," Phiri said. 

 

SODIS technology involves the installation of solar water disinfection batch reactors to treat the harvested rainwater which can be stored and used when needed. 

 

The project will be adapted to the needs of the health facilities in the country with zero running cost to produce water and a need for consumables.