Imagine a baby being born in darkness. A child unable to receive a vaccine. A health center where the biggest killer isn’t a medical condition at all, but rather the lack of one lifesaving resource—electricity.

There are 1 billion people around the world who are being served by healthcare facilities without reliable access to electricity. Some of these facilities have intermittent power; others lack electricity entirely—located in regions where the grid doesn’t reach. In either case, care is greatly restricted, from preventative measures to lifesaving interventions

Improving access to energy is crucial for advancing global healthcare and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, “good health and wellbeing” for all. Where the grid has failed, solar energy is offering a solution. By turning to the sun for electricity, health facilities—including the most remote clinics—can access clean, reliable power and save lives.

An Overview of Goal 3

Sustainable Development Goal 3 helps “ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.” Goal 3 aims to reduce suffering from preventable diseases and improve the overall health of the population.

Here’s where we stand on key targets of Goal 3:

• A maternal death occurs almost every two minutes. Yet, mortality rates have dropped by 40% between 2000 and 2023.
• 1 in 27 children die before reaching age 5.
• 597,000 people died from malaria in 2023.
• 4.5 billion people are not fully covered by essential health services
• Pollution causes seven million deaths every year.

The percentage of the population that spends more than one-tenth of their income on out-of-pocket heath expenditures has stedily increased in recent decades, from 9.6% in 2000 to 13.5% in 2019. For families living near the poverty line, this spending can cause further financial hardship and make poverty inescapable.

4 Ways Solar Energy Improves Healthcare

Solar power can reach the most remote communities, improving health among populations who are currently the most underserved by the healthcare system. Here’s how:

• Electrifying health clinics. 1 in 4 health clinics in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity. This means that there are no lighting, heating, or cooling systems. It also means that critical medical devices are unavailable for patients in need. A reliable source of energy can capture an X-ray, record an ultrasound, and turn on a ventilator. These interventions save lives.
• Keeping vaccines cold. Most vaccines must be chilled between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, a temperature that isn’t achievable where electricity is unavailable. One solution: solar-powered vaccine refrigerators. These fridges use solar energy to keep vaccines cold. When the sun isn’t shining, temperatures remain stable by use of a battery, or in the case of a solar-direct drive refrigerator, a cooling layer of ice. Since 2020, the use of these refrigerators has boosted child vaccination rates by 50% in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Reducing pollution-related deaths. 99% of the world breathes in polluted air every day. Exposure to air pollution is linked to respiratory disease, cancers, and cognitive impairment in children. And every year, 3.2 million people die from household air pollution, often due to smoke from cooking fuels. Solar energy can power cleaner alternatives, such as electric cookstoves, allowing everyone within the household to live healthier lives.
• Empowering telemedicine. Solar energy can provide power for internet connectivity, allowing remote patients to see a doctor through a mobile device, and allowing medical staff to communicate with specialists outside the immediate geographic area. It can also improve medical training by powering e-learning platforms for healthcare professionals.

How Partnerships Make Healthcare a Reality

Since 2017, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with governments in sub-Saharan Africa to spearhead an initiative called Solar for Health.

In Zimbabwe, only 20% of the rural population has access to electricity. By working closely with the government, Solar for Health transformed communities by installing solar panels at critical health clinics. The results? Maternal mortality dropped, and patients can now access medical services including X-rays, vaccines, and surgical operations.

To date, Solar for Health has electrified more than 1,000 health centers and storage facilities in 15 countries, just by harnessing the sun. By training women as solar technicians, the initiative is also advancing gender equality while creating green jobs.

Looking Forward: Solar Energy and Healthcare

Ensuring universal health coverage by 2030 requires a significant increase in funding—an additional $274 billion per year. We’re still far from achieving the targets of Goal 3, but we’re steadily making progress.

Today, we’re not without solutions. Thanks to innovations like solar energy, we have the tools to bring universal energy access to clinics and hospitals around the world, laying the foundation for a more equitable healthcare landscape. And indeed, every year, new health facilities gain access to power, and with it, gain experienced doctors, lifesaving tools, and a fresh start at a healthier future.