The Government of Zambia has launched an Action Plan charting the way forward in providing reliable and affordable electricity to unserved health centers using solar to improve the quality of services offered to poor and vulnerable communities. This is in line with the government’s goal of providing equitable quality service for all as laid out in the country’s Vision 2030.
Access to electricity is paramount for optimal functioning of a health facility. It means lighting for safe emergency night-time care and childbirth, refrigeration for blood and vaccines, sterilization facilities, and powering simple medical devices. Yet over 70 percent of rural health facilities in Zambia have no access to electricity, compromising the healthcare of more than 60 percent of the rural population.
Furthermore, many of the health facilities are located too far from the grid to be connected and even those with a grid connection often face power outages. Therefore, off-grid solutions present a key opportunity to provide low carbon, reliable and cost-effective electricity to improve the quality of healthcare services.
A call to Action
The Action Plan which was accompanied by a Call to Action to development partners and the private sector to support the solarization of health centers in the country, was launched by the Minister of Health Hon. Silvia Masebo, MP, at the Off-Grid Solar (OGS) Investment Forum on July 8, 2022.
Speaking during the event, Hon Masebo noted that the importance of access to reliable electricity in the delivery of essential health services cannot be over-emphasized. It impacts on the well-being of women and children.
She pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the adverse effect of lack of electricity on health outcomes. It made it difficult to treat patients in need of ventilators and the lack of refrigeration constrained the administration of the much-needed vaccines.
“It is in this regard that the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Health and Power for All, in collaboration with other stakeholders, have developed this Action Plan which seeks to assist in making deliberate plans to electrify health facilities using off-grid systems. The collaboration further has a Call to Action, a letter that highlights the urgent action needed to invest in the electrification of the health facilities to improve the quality of services and outcomes,” she said.
The Action Plan was developed in partnership with the Zambian Health Coalition and the Off-Grid Task force.
“We congratulate the Zambia government through the Ministry of Health and Energy for this milestone. It marks the beginning of accelerating not only SDG3 on health but also SDG7 on Universal Energy Access and this will also create opportunities for jobs and improving livelihoods. The solarization of health centers will have a transformative effect on the lives of the rural and urban communities in Zambia. We would also like to acknowledge the role of the Zambian Health Coalition and the Off-Grid Task force,” said Anand Pathanjali, Power for All Partnerships and Campaigns Manager.