FROM THE FIELD: Powering up health care in Sub-Saharan Africa

Solar power is helping make universal healthcare a reality in places where unreliable power supplies regularly affect access to vital services, and can out people’s lives at risk, thanks to support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

UNDP/Slingshot

Governments in Sub-Saharan Africa have partnered with UNDP to launch the Solar for Health initiative to install solar systems in rural health centres and clinics where surgeries may be carried out by candlelight and where vaccines and medicines can expire without proper temperature regulation.

The initiative aims to use solar power to refrigerate medicines, maintain health information systems, and create adequate conditions for the delivery of babies, while reducing emissions which harm the environment.

Some 405 health facilities across the region have benefitted so far; read more here about Solar for Health in Sub-Saharan Africa.