Analysis of Renewable Energy Deployment and Investment for Rural Health Facility Electrification: A Case Study of Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda

Abstract

Access to energy is essential for quality human services and is key to accomplishing local and regional healthcare services provision and people’s social well-being. Selected case studies of Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda with key institutional data for the year 2019 show a generally low access to electricity. This article assesses how unreliable energy supply and poor energy financing in rural health facilities can affect health service delivery. The selected case studies are analysed considering demographic rationale, electrification rates in rural health canters, and child mortality rates. Poor electricity supply to rural health facilities is associated with poor health service delivery and outcomes. The study found that investment business models and financing initiatives vary by country. However, decision-makers can use the findings to make informed decisions and develop public-private investment strategies that breed new and innovative financing business models to provide and scale up cleaner energy resources like renewable energy resources and technologies in rural health centers. Further, increased collaborations between financial institutions and health institutions are recommended to support strategic investments for improved health facility electrification and health service delivery, thereby contributing to the United Nations sustainable development goals 3 and 7. This study is limited to evaluating the impact of poor electricity access to rural health facilities and how renewable energy systems can offer quick cheap solutions in the case study countries using credible secondary data qualitatively.