The UAE has provided solar-powered health centres across India to enable more than 200,000 people to access the health care they need.
Six solar-powered health centres have been created in the south-western state of Karnataka, state news agency Wam reported on Tuesday.
They were built in remote communities with limited access to electricity, enabling patients to receive essential healthcare services closer to home without the need to travel long distances to larger cities, Wam said.
The project was carried out by the Selco Foundation as part of the Zayed Sustainability Prize's Beyond2020 scheme. The India-based Selco Foundation uses sustainable energy as a catalyst to alleviate poverty and promote environmental sustainability.
“Through Beyond2020, the UAE continues to champion solutions that improve lives, strengthen resilience and advance global co-operation,” said Ahmed Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention.
“The sustained impact of this deployment in India reflects our shared commitment to advancing sustainable development and expanding equitable access to essential healthcare services.
“Guided by Sheikh Zayed’s legacy of compassion and action, we remain dedicated to supporting communities and forging partnerships that deliver meaningful, lasting impact.”
Sustainable solutions
The Beyond2020 scheme was launched by organisers of the Zayed Sustainability Prize to provide sustainable solutions for urgent challenges faced by vulnerable communities around the world. The humanitarian project is supported by local and international governments.
India has more than 30,000 primary health centres and 150,000 sub-centres, many of them in remote areas, Wam reported.
In these regions, access to health care is “often limited by infrastructure challenges, resulting in longer travel distances and higher out-of-pocket expenses”.
The solar-powered facilities offer support for neonatal and maternal care, with portable baby warmers, phototherapy units, and essential devices like foetal monitors and assisted ventilation.
“Energy is a catalyst for better health care,” said Harish Hande, chief executive of the Selco Foundation, which was the 2018 winner of the Zayed Sustainability Prize.
“By redesigning health facilities through solar innovation, we can make care both accessible and aspirational, bringing quality services to even the most remote communities.
“Our broader goal is to expand this model nationwide so that sustainable energy continues to drive improved health outcomes for those who need it most.”
Previous Beyond2020 projects included providing clean, safe drinking water to 10,000 people living in rural Vietnam. Another Beyond2020 project provided access to safe drinking water for 9,000 people in Ethiopia.
Beyond2020 has also offered support to tackle water and food insecurity and health and energy challenges in countries such as Nepal, Sudan, Uganda, Jordan, Egypt, Cambodia, Madagascar and the Philippines.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize was established in 2008 as a tribute to the sustainability and humanitarian legacy of the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The prize honours organisations focused on projects in six categories – climate action, health, food, energy, water and global high schools.
This month, The National reported how the latest prize, now in its 18th year, attracted 10,233 entries from 177 countries.
