Zambia Launches Solar Health Initiative to Power 250 Facilities
Zambia has launched a new Solar Electrification and DRIVE Initiative Project, backed by an initial investment of US$5 million, to bring clean and reliable energy to 250 health facilities across 95 districts in all ten provinces. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.
Once completed, the initiative will benefit more than 1.3 million people in Zambia, particularly in rural and underfed areas, and will also provide 200 motorbikes to health facilities to strengthen outreach and vaccine delivery.
The project is a collaborative effort by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health Minister Dr. Elijah Muchima expressed deep gratitude to the partners for their support, stressing that the solar initiative will deliver sustainable, uninterrupted energy to healthcare facilities nationwide. He made the remarks during the launch of the Health Facility Solar Electrification (HFSE) and Cold Chain Equipment Optimisation Platform (CEOP) Learning Agenda, alongside the Direct Delivery of Routine Immunisation Vaccines for Equity (DRIVE) initiative, held in Chongwe.
Gavi CEO, Dr. Sania Nishtar, emphasised that the solar component is designed to provide predictable and uninterrupted power, essential for maintaining vaccine integrity and supporting health services.
“What the solar electrification project is meant to do is to provide predictable electricity in your health facilities so that it is not interrupted even when there is load shedding from the grid,” she stated.
UNICEF Country Representative, Dr. Nejmudin Bilal, added that the project will significantly strengthen Zambia’s health sector by bringing clean energy to facilities that have long operated without electricity, marking a major step toward health equity and resilience.