Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, responsible for Labor, Youth, Employment, and Persons with Disabilities, Ridhiwani Kikwete, has underscored the need for enhanced clean cooking campaign to protect both people’s health and forests.

Kikwete who is the legislator for Chalinze Constituency was concerned that 88 percent of charcoal used in Dar es Salaam come from Chalinze District in Coast Region.

He was speaking at an event to handover 200 gas cylinders and stoves to nurses who care for mothers with premature babies in Chalinze District, Coast Region.He said the gas cylinders provided by Onyx Gas Tanzania Limited in collaboration with the Doris Mollel Foundation, would enable them to spend more time caring for the mothers instead of spending hours collecting firewood in the bush.

Kikwete acknowledged the significant contribution of Oryx and the Doris Mollel Foundation in supporting President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts to promote clean cooking energy.

“Our nurses will now have enough time to take care of mothers with premature babies in our hospital. One could spend hours cooking with firewood and charcoal, but using gas requires a short time,” said the minister.

He said the stakeholders are not only supporting President Samia’s initiative to promote clean cooking energy but are helping to protect the environment, as people will no longer have to go  into forests for firewood.

He highlighted that over the past three to four years, more than 88 percent of the charcoal supplied to Dar es Salaam came from Chalinze, prompting the need for special patrols to monitor activities inside the Wami Mbiki Conservation Area where most of trees are cut for charcoal.

“We are working closely with authorities in the Wami Mbiki Conservation Area to ensure protection of the environment,” he said.

 Evarist Kisaka, a representative form the energy firm said they visited Msoga Hospital to provide 200 gas cylinders to nurses caring for mothers with premature babies, ensuring they have more time to care for the babies.

“By providing these cylinders we protect the health of our nurses so they continue taking good care of mothers with premature babies, while also protecting the environment,” Kisaka said, adding that gas is more affordable compared to to firewood or charcoal. 

A bag of charcoal costs 80,000/- for a family of three per month, while using gas incurs lower costs that do not exceed 50,000/-.

Alice Mwakatika, Project Manager, Doris Mollel Foundation said that in collaboration with Oryx, they distributed gas cylinders to nurses with the goal of promoting clean cooking energy, which is a global campaign that has received strong support from President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

“We have given these cylinders to nurses because we know they spend a lot of time with patients, especially mothers. Our focus is on maternal and child health. Many of the nurses are midwives taking care of babies in the wards.

They will become ambassadors of clean energy as they share the importance of clean energy with pregnant women and other patients,” she added.

Gabriela Mtwale, Chief Nurse, Chalinze District expressed gratitude for the gas cylinders, insisting to continue educating patients on the importance of using cleaner energy.