Dr Hem Dholakia CEEW

1. Powering primary healthcare
through solar in India
Lessons from Chhattisgarh
Dr Hem H. Dholakia
Senior Research Associate
Council on Energy, Environment and Water
31 August 2017
© Council on Energy, Environment and Water, 2017

2. CEEW: among the world’s leading policy research institutions
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Energy Access Renewables
Low-Carbon Pathways
Technology, Finance &
Trade
Industrial Sustainability &
Competitiveness
Risks and Adaptation
Power Sector

3. Electricity is a critical enabler for health systems
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Electrification
Equipment
functionality
Water supplyStaff retention
Out-patientservices
NeonatalCare

4. 3
Electricity access is linked to health outcomes
4.6% - Primary Health Centers
(PHCs) in India have no access to
electricity
One in two health centers may suffer
from lack of reliable electricity
Source: District level household survey-4

5. 4
Electricity access is linked to health outcomes
Significant correlation between electricity access and
percentage of children fully immunized
Source: District level household survey-4; Annual Health Survey (2013)

6. 5
• 20 million people (three-
quarters living in rural areas)
• One-third of primary health
centers are un-electrified or
without regular power supply
• Close to 90% of primary
health centers report power
cuts during peak operating
hours

7. 6
Solar for primary health centers
• Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy
Development Agency (CREDA)
• 2 KwH Off-grid Solar PV systems
• 3 – 4 Hours of back-up
• 570 Primary Health Centres (PHCs)
since 2012

8. 7
• Two stage process for selecting
the primary health centers with
solar
• Matched them with controls i.e.
PHCs without solar
147 PHCs
83 Solar
64 Non-
Solar

9. Higher service provision in health facilities with solar
Out-patients treated per PHC
630 480
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With Solar Without Solar
In-patients treated per PHC
With Solar
Without Solar
11.5
9.5
70% of health facilities with solar provided 24 x 7
services compared to 48% of those without solar

10. Lens for analysis
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PHCs
(147)
With grid power supply
of 20 hours and below
48.3% (71)
With Solar
25.9% (38)
Without Solar
22.4% (33)
With grid power supply
of 21 hours and above
51.7% (76)
SOURCE: CEEW Analysis 2017

11. Impact of electricity on healthcare: Patient statistics
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SOURCE: CEEW Analysis 2017
Average Deliveries in a month
Non-deficit Power deficit
8.6 6.5
Non-deficit Power deficit
27 17
Average in-patients treated in a month
19.3
8.6
11.5
5.3
0 5 10 15 20 25
Median number of IPD patients in a month
Median number of deliveries in a month
Median values of IPD patients and deliveries in a month - within power deficit
PHCs
Power deficit without solar Power deficit with solar

12. Perceptions of health staff in PHCs
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Proportion of PHCs reporting service improvement due to solar
59%
77%
45%
OPD
Services
In-patient
Services
Laboratory
Services
Deliveries
78%
89%
79.5%
98%
Experienced cost savings
on electricity expenditure
Solar provides back-up as
promised
Solar has helped the day-
to-day operations of the
staff/doctors in the PHC

13. • Mainstream electricity access as a critical component of
health system infrastructure
• Augment electricity supply with solar systems with a priority
to power deficit health facilities
• Tailor solar system design based on local needs
• Scaling solar systems across health centers in in India’s
strategic interest
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Final thoughts

14. THANK YOU
http://ceew.in
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