Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused charity, and Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), a Scottish charity dedicated to ensuring every child has access to safe surgery in low- and middle-income countries, have announced the successful implementation of the Solar Surgery System in 23 hospitals across Nigeria.
Through their groundbreaking partnership, the two organisations are making significant strides to enhance surgical care in Nigeria. The partnership involves the creation of new surgical facilities, training of local surgical teams and the deployment of solar-powered operating theatres to ensure that every child has access to safe surgery, free from the risks associated with power outages.
Solar panels have been installed on the roofs of operating facilities, charging smart battery units that power critical medical equipment. This innovative approach addresses the frequent power cuts in many African hospitals, ensuring uninterrupted care and better outcomes for patients. The system intelligently monitors power needs, supplying it directly from solar panels. Children across Nigeria now undergo operations powered entirely by the sun. On cloudy days, the system switches seamlessly to a blend of solar and battery power, providing up to eight hours of continuous use, even into the night. Only when sunlight and battery power are both exhausted does the system draw from the local grid.
The Smile Train and KidsOR partnership not only ensures reliable power for Nigerian hospitals but also improves patient safety, optimises surgical outcomes, and reduces the carbon emissions of healthcare facilities – setting a sustainable standard for medical treatment across Africa.
Globally, approximately one in 700 babies are born with a cleft lip or palate. Many of these children miss out on reconstructive surgery, which is crucial for eating, breathing, and speaking. Smile Train, the leading charity for cleft surgeries, recently celebrated its 2 millionth surgery.
Vice president and regional director for Africa at Smile Train, Nkeiruka Obi commented: “Erratic power supply is common in Nigeria and other developing countries, and power interruptions during surgery can jeopardise lives. By harnessing clean, renewable solar energy – abundant in our region – surgical teams can operate with confidence, ensuring children with clefts receive safe and timely surgeries, regardless of power outages. This solar-powered theatre is transforming healthcare delivery across Africa, particularly in regions where unreliable power limits access to safe surgical care. Each solar-powered theatre brings us closer to universal safe surgery access, impacting children, families, and entire communities. The Smile Train and KidsOR partnership exemplifies how meaningful collaboration and innovation can drive sustainable healthcare change.”
David Cunningham, CEO of KidsOR, added: “Our partnership with Smile Train is making a life-changing difference to children in developing countries worldwide. In Nigeria and across Africa, we’re working to create a future where no child fears a power outage as a life-threatening risk during surgery. Soon, we will have transitioned 30 operating rooms in Nigeria to the solar surgery system, enabling facilities to operate at full capacity without restrictions from power cuts.”
