The United States government will invest $320,000 to provide electricity to 92 health facilities in Sofala province.

A note from the US Embassy in Maputo says that the Power Africa program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded a grant to the renewable energy company SolarWorks! Mozambique, which will implement the initiative.

"With modest funding from the U.S. Government, we can encourage private sector involvement like this, which will improve health services for thousands of people in Sofala province," said U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne.

Off-grid solar-powered electric systems will be installed in rural health facilities, which will enable quality care for about 138,000 people, the note said.

One of the advantages of installing such systems is the potential for improved delivery services.

SolarWorks! Mozambique will install the systems in coordination with the health directorate of Sofala, a province that has 90% of its health units without regular electricity.

X-Ray Machines

The health area is one of the United States' priorities in its aid to Mozambique, having recently, through USAID, delivered five state-of-the-art X-ray machines for advanced screening and diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) to the Ministry of Health. The donation includes digital radiological systems, which will be placed in health units in Mandimba, Niassa; Angoche, Nampula; Maputo City; Beira, Sofala; and Alto Molocue, Zambézia.