The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruptions around the world, and this global reality will persist for a while. Access to electricity in health facilities is critical to achieving universal healthcare including improving maternal health, reducing child mortality, and disease prevention. Many health clinics, particularly those in rural areas, lack reliable, affordable electricity supplies for powering basic services such as lighting, communications, refrigeration, diagnostics, and the medical devices required for health services

Some estimates indicate that only 28% of all health clinics in SSA have access to reliable electricity. Other estimates indicate that 1 in 4 health facilities in SSA lack access to electricity while 3 in 4 lack reliable power. The situation in the pandemic era is expected to be worse and more challenging.