Meghalaya government to power remote health centres using solar technology

In a pilot programme, the National Health Mission has successfully powered 100 sub-centres in 11 districts with solar devices

The Meghalaya government has successfully installed solar-powered devices in 100 health centres in remote villages, an official said on Saturday.

The State government said it plans to cover all rural health centres under the solar power scheme to improve the functioning of these centres and ensure that last mile delivery in the health sector is achieved using solar technologies.

In a pilot programme, the National Health Mission has successfully powered 100 sub-centres in 11 districts with solar devices, a senior health official said.

He said as part of the programme, energy efficient equipment like radiant warmer, suction apparatus, spotlight, solar direct drive vaccine refrigerator and luminaries, were installed and made functional.

To meet the health demands of the vulnerable people in remote areas of the State, the government had partnered with SELCO Foundation to scale the remaining 342 sub-centres and 122 primary health centres (PHCs) across the State, according to the official.

Irrespective of the difficult terrain, remoteness, vulnerability to climate risks and natural disasters of rural habitations, the intervention will greatly benefit from solar energy that can power critical healthcare services including immunization, maternal care, deliveries, diagnostics and contribute to increasing monitoring including vaccination of COVID-19 among others.