UNDP Transforms Medicine Delivery in Guinea-Bissau through US$ 5 million Smart Solar-Powered Medical Infrastructure

October 6, 2025

In the heart of Guinea-Bissau, a quiet revolution in health care is taking place. The country has long struggled with ensuring that life-saving medicines reach every corner, from city clinics to remote villages. But now, thanks to a $ 5 million Global Fund investment led by UNDP and partners like UN-Habitat, the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being is becoming a reality by strengthening health systems.

At the center of this transformation stands the Smart Warehouse-in-a-Box, a digital, solar-powered marvel designed to strengthen the national health system from the ground up. Inside, real-time inventory tracking, temperature-controlled cold rooms, and smart dashboards allow the Central Medical Store (CECOME) to monitor medicines and vaccines remotely, ensuring that nothing is lost, expired, or misplaced. Thousands of pallets of critical drugs for malaria, TB, HIV, and maternal health are stored here, ready to reach the patients who need them most. The warehouse is powered by a 250 KW solar system, ensuring uninterrupted operations even when the national electricity supply falters. Backup generators, energy-efficient air conditioning, and lighting keep operations running smoothly at all times.

Beyond energy efficiency, the facility boasts high-tech logistics. Forklifts, heavy machinery, thermal insulation, rolling doors, and even incinerators combine to create a facility where medicines are protected, workers are safe, and operations are transparent and accountable.

Inside the Warehouse: Expertise and Innovation

According to Dany Gabriel Sampa, Chief of the Central Warehouse Department, the facility is meticulously organized to maintain international standards:

"I organize the warehouse, manage quality control and monitor the temperature of products. We guarantee that all medicines are stored under proper conditions. Every three months, we distribute medicines for different programs. Our digital systems allow precise stock management, and our two cold rooms maintain temperatures between 2°C and 8°C for vaccines and laboratory reagents."

Dany emphasizes the warehouse’s role as both a storage and distribution hub, ensuring quality, timely delivery, and adherence to international standards across all programs. Echoing this, Joseph Chanda, Warehouse Construction Project Manager, highlights the technological sophistication of the facility:

"This is a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical warehouse, equipped with narrow-aisle forklifts, advanced racking systems, barcode readers, and servers for automatic stock updates. Temperature and humidity sensors continuously monitor conditions, sending alerts if temperatures exceed 25°C. Our cold rooms ensure vaccines and sensitive medicines are maintained between 2 and 8°C, and our incinerators safely handle medical and pharmaceutical waste according to world health standards. We also have a warehouse management system that flags medicines nearing expiry, supporting a zero-expiry policy."

Every element, from climate control to digital monitoring and waste management, is designed to maximize efficiency, minimize risk, and extend the lifespan of medicines until they reach patients. Communities facing malaria, tuberculosis, or maternal health emergencies can now count on timely deliveries of the supplies they need. This story is one of innovation meeting necessity, as by combining smart technology, renewable energy, and strategic investment, Guinea-Bissau is building a resilient, transparent, and future-ready health system.