Innovating Health International spends $15,000 a year on diesel gasoline for the generator that powers the Women's Cancer Center because the municipal power is not available where we work. This is both terrible for our planet and terribly expensive! We hope to install solar panels that will greatly reduce our fuel consumption. With the money we save on gas, we will have more funds for treatment of our patients!
Our Women's Health Center uses 550 gallons of diesel fuel a month in order to ensure that we have electricity to treat our patients. Even on nights and weekends our 5 refrigerators are using power to ensure that the chemotherapy and other medications stay cold. The power sometimes goes off during the day when are patients have traveled far to see the doctor. Our staff has to come in on weekends solely to run the generator to charge the batteries that will power the refrigerators at night.
Installing solar panels will greatly reduce our fuel consumption. The money saved on gas will go directly to treat more women! The doctors, nurses, and patients will have guaranteed access to power during the day, ensuring quality visits. The medications will stay at proper temperature at all times. Our staff will have a full weekend off!
Long term, the lowered costs makes the treatment more sustainable, allowing us to treat more women. Lower fuel usage will reduce our long-term carbon footprint, essential in a country at the mercy of the rains and hurricanes in the Caribbean.
