The solar vaccine fridges, designed and manufactured by Dulas Ltd, will ensure essential medicines and vaccines are kept cool without the need for conventional electricity. The fridges are being delivered to the World Health Organisation (WHO) who will ensure the equipment is assigned to those areas worst hit by the devastation.

Dulas has over thirty years’ experience of supplying WHO approved solar vaccine refrigerator systems across the world to communities in remote areas or without a secure electricity supply. The technology is designed to efficiently convert sunlight directly into electricity which is used to refrigerate life-saving vaccines and blood stocks.

Cath Peasley, business manager at Dulas said: “This tragedy has had a devastating effect on the Philippines as lives have been lost and much of the country’s infrastructure has been totally wiped out. These medical refrigerators operate completely independently from the electrical grid, meaning essential vaccinations and medicines can be reliably stored to support medical efforts in the country. Our hearts go out to the people of the Philippines and we hope this technology can contribute to easing their suffering.”

To ensure they are effective, vaccines, blood and medical supplies must be safely refrigerated at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius from the time they are manufactured until they are administered. Vaccines that are not adequately refrigerated can become ineffective.

The shipment is part of the UK government’s £50 million humanitarian response which will deliver support to up to 800,000 people in the country. This latest shipment containing essential aid items such as rope, tents, camp beds and vehicles took off from RAF Brize Norton, the RAF’s Air Transport Hub, in Oxfordshire.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Philippines humanitarian appeal can do so at the Disasters Emergency Committee website.