Health facility solarisation drive unlocks benefits for over 140 million people in underserved communities in Africa and Asia

An ambitious drive to solarize primary health care facilities, backed by an investment of more than US$30 million from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is helping unlock benefits for more than 140 million people in underserved communities across Africa and Asia.

By solarizing more than 1,700 facilities across Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and Zambia, the initiative is helping address one of the most persistent barriers to equitable immunisation – unreliable access to electricity at frontline health facilities – while making long-term investments in health care service delivery.

The milestone comes as governments, development partners, climate experts and civil society convene at COP31 in Türkiye, where discussions are expected to focus on practical solutions that strengthen community resilience while advancing climate and development goals.

Energy gaps have long undermined efforts to expand immunisation programmes, leading to missed vaccination opportunities and persistent inequities in access to care. Solarisation provides clean, reliable and sustainable energy to health facilities that are far from power grids, or where power is expensive or only available for part of the day. With dependable electricity, clinics are better able to maintain vaccine cold chains, extend service hours and enable night-time and emergency services, operate essential medical equipment including diagnostics – supporting health workers in challenging environments and offer safer, more consistent care for communities. 

Across the five countries, these investments are improving health services for tens of millions of people. In Nigeria, the solarisation of 371 primary health care facilities is strengthening access to vaccines and basic health services for an estimated 115 million people through an investment of approximately US$9 million. In Ethiopia, 380 facilities have been solarised, serving about 8.6 million people through an investment of US$6.39 million. Pakistan has equipped 398 health facilities with solar power, extending services to around 12.4 million people through US$6.67 million in support. In Uganda, 250 facilities have been upgraded, serving approximately 3.1 million people through an investment of US$4.25 million, while in Zambia, the solarisation of 296 facilities is improving access to care for an estimated 1.3 million people, supported by US$4.17 million.

Reliable electricity is critical to maintaining vaccines at safe temperatures. Without dependable power, vaccines risk heat exposure leading to wastage and the disruption of immunisation services. In addition to this solarization push, Gavi has spent more than two decades investing in cold chain across lower-income countries. As part of this, the Gavi-supported deployment of more than 66,400 solar direct drive (SDD) vaccine refrigerators across multiple lower-income countries has strengthened immunisation systems and is projected to avert up to 153,024 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions over a 10-year operational period.

These efforts to solarise the vaccine and healthcare supply chain demonstrate how investments in clean energy can simultaneously improve health outcomes and vaccine equity, strengthen immunisation and health systems for some of the world's most underserved communities, and reduce emissions while increasing sustainability. 

QUOTE – Ian MacTavish, Director, Vaccine Forecasting and Supply Management, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance:

“By investing in solar energy for primary healthcare facilities, Gavi is removing a critical bottleneck to vaccine equity while helping countries build stronger, more sustainable and climate-friendly health systems. Solar-powered clinics ensure vaccines remain safe, health workers can deliver services consistently, and communities in far-flung areas can access life-saving vaccines and essential health services.”

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