Name: Solar-powered incubators save premature babies in Cameroon
Uploaded: 2025-11-21T14:30:53.206Z
Duration: 2 min 45 s
Description: Power outages can be life threatening for preemies. One man has invented a solar-powered incubator to save them. The device is also creating jobs locally.

Power outages can be life threatening for preemies. One man has invented a solar-powered incubator to save them. The device is also creating jobs locally.

Yaoundé

In Cameroon, locally produced hybrid incubators powered by both solar energy and mains electricity are helping save the lives of premature babies, particularly in areas affected by frequent power outages. The initiative was inspired by entrepreneur Serge Dijoux, who developed the incubators after witnessing the tragic loss of infants due to unreliable electricity supplies.

Since production began in Yaoundé two years ago, over 200 Mawau incubators have been sold, creating jobs and increasing the use of solar energy in hospitals. The incubators, which cost around 4,500 euros each and are often financed by NGOs, have proven effective in providing stable care for newborns and have brought relief and pride to families and healthcare workers alike.

Solar-powered incubators save premature babies in Cameroon

Little Nachma was born three months premature. She owes her life to this incubator. It creates a microclimate in which humidity and temperature are regulated. Her body has everything it needs to grow, just like in the womb. The fact that incubators function non-stop at this hospital, in the town of Foumbourg, is not a given. Here in Cameroon, power outages are common. Before we got these hybrid incubators, we used imported ones. But they were too sensitive to power cuts. The incubators are built locally in Cameroon. They can run on solar-powered batteries and mains electricity. The idea came from entrepreneur Serge Dijoux. He witnessed first-hand how a mother lost five babies because of a power outage. The tragedy spurred him into action. We knew that for a viable solution for us here, we needed to use renewable energy, which is cheap and reliable. So we opted for solar power and built a hybrid incubator that can function fully, even in remote places or places with no reliable power supply, thus saving lives. The locally made incubators are also creating long-term jobs. Production of the Mawau incubators started in Yaoundé two years ago. The models have proven effective and more than 200 have sold so far. They're also boosting the use of solar power. The hospital in Fumbo, for example, now operates three wards with solar power, one of which is the maternity ward. The incubators were financed by an NGO. They cost the equivalent of around 4,500 euros. That's a lot of money, but nothing compared to the many lives that have been saved. Nahma is also coming on well. She's already breastfeeding, a huge relief for her mother. When I see my child so healthy and how she's developed so wonderfully compared to the first day I saw her, I'm really proud. It's a big change. And what better reward for the nurses and the incubators' inventors, too.

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