Harnessing renewable and efficient energy to create stronger health systems in Africa

Harnessing renewable and efficient energy to create stronger health systems in Africa

The United Nations Foundation hosted a conference on the impact of weak energy supplies for delivering good health care services and how clean energy could help in creating stronger and more resilient health systems in Africa.

The United Nations Foundation hosted a conference on the impact of weak energy supplies for delivering good health care services and how clean energy could help in creating stronger and more resilient health systems in Africa.
 
A long list of key stakeholders in the energy and health sector joint the UN Conference on Clean Energy for Health Care in Nairobi on the 24th and the 25th of April to reflect on the intersection between the two topics and how to work together to overcome the challenges they both face.
The capacity of Africa’s health systems to deliver adequate care is hugely hampered by the continent’s lack of access to electricity. It leads to vaccine spoilage, interruptions in the use of essential medical and diagnostic devices, and lack of even the most basic lighting and communications for maternal delivery and emergency procedures. It also limits the hours of operation and retention of rural health workers and undermines the provision of adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene.

The conference brought together partners to raise awareness, exchange knowledge and build a coalition around the issue. Prof dr Marleen Temmerman, Aga Khan University and ICRH Global, was one of the speakers, looking at it from a medical professional and a patient centred perspective.