Meghalaya leads in Northeastern region with 489 health facilities running
on solar energy
From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Feb 29: Meghalaya emerged as a leader in the Northeastern region with 489 healthcare facilities successfully solar-powered.
This was discerned at the two-day Energy for Health Summit: North Eastern Region Chapter ’24, organized by SELCO Foundation in Guwahati, which ended on Thursday.
The Summit exhibited significant impact and progress of the ‘Energy for Health’ initiative. This initiative aims to power 25,000 health facilities across India using solar energy with a primary focus on the 8 states of the Northeast.
Assam followed closely after Meghalaya with 467 solar-powered healthcare facilities, followed by Mizoram with 326, Manipur with 167, and more than 50 in Nagaland.
SELCO Foundation is actively seeking partnerships and strategies to achieve its goal of powering all facilities in the Northeast by 2026.
The summit, attended by health officials from all the eight Northeastern states, contributed to the dialogue aimed at making all 8,500+ primary healthcare facilities in the region climate-resilient.
Access to reliable energy is crucial for the timely and quality delivery of health services, powering critical life-saving equipment, and maintaining optimal conditions for vaccine storage.
State Program Manager of the National Health Mission in Meghalaya, Ibamonlang Nongbri, expressed optimism about achieving self-sustainability at the health facility level based on her experience with the programme.
State Nodal Officer for Maternal Health in Manipur, Dr Meena Seram, emphasised the positive impact of uninterrupted electricity on service quality and overall well-being of healthcare staff.
SELCO Foundation has pioneered the design and implementation of decentralised energy for critical healthcare systems, leveraging local, regional, and state-level partnerships.
Associate Director at SELCO Foundation, Rachita Misra, highlighted the unique challenges of the Northeast, such as remoteness, low population density, and challenging terrains, which present opportunities for innovation in health and energy services.
The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) processes of the solar facilities are designed for sustainability, involving partnerships with state and district health departments and local clean energy enterprises. Automated remote monitoring systems, training for health staff, and customised O&M systems for each state or region ensure optimal functioning of the energy system and reliable health service delivery.
Distinguished speakers at the summit included Dr Ravi Kannan, 2023 Raman Magsaysay Awardee and Director of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Center, and Thomas Pullenkav, Director of SELCO India.