Across Sub-Saharan Africa and other low-resource regions, the availability of healthcare equipment does not necessarily translate into improved health outcomes. Many hospitals and clinics may appear well-equipped on paper, but in reality, devices remain idle—non-functional due to energy inefficiencies, fragile design, or the absence of maintenance support.
A recent assessment by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and CLASP of 29 healthcare facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya, sheds light on these challenges and offers a roadmap toward more sustainable and impactful healthcare solutions.
The Hidden Problem: Non-Functional Equipment
One of the most striking findings of the study is that many devices recorded as “available” are not actually operational. Autoclaves, oxygen concentrators, and infant warmers—essential for patient care—sit unused because they are:
- Energy-intensive and incompatible with unstable local grids.
- Vulnerable to power fluctuations, resulting in frequent breakdowns.
- Low in build quality, leading to short lifespans and growing e-waste.
- Lacking technical support, with no local expertise for repair or upkeep.
Shockingly, more than 45% of devices assessed were found unsuitable for the energy conditions they were placed in. This inefficiency forces health workers to ration use—sometimes reducing sterilization cycles to once every two weeks—while turning to diesel generators as costly, polluting backups.
The Donation Dilemma
Medical equipment donations, while well-intentioned, often exacerbate the problem. Studies estimate that up to 70% of donated medical devices go unused, either because they do not meet the technical requirements of the recipient facilities, or because there is no training, spare parts, or servicing infrastructure available.
This mismatch highlights a deeper issue: healthcare solutions must be designed with local contexts in mind. A “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work when energy access is limited or unstable.
Toward Context-Aware Healthcare Solutions
To move beyond these challenges, the SEforALL and CLASP report emphasizes three pillars of action:
1. Energy-Efficient and Durable Equipment
Healthcare devices must be engineered specifically for low-grid and off-grid environments. This includes designing equipment that consumes less power, can handle voltage fluctuations, and remains durable under tough operating conditions.
2. Stronger Standards and Quality Assurance
The adoption of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and rigorous quality-control measures is crucial. By holding manufacturers accountable to context-appropriate benchmarks, healthcare providers can ensure that investments in equipment translate into real, sustainable value.
3. Local Innovation and Capacity Building
Developing in-country innovation ecosystems—through local manufacturing, testing laboratories, and training programs for biomedical engineers—creates a pathway to scalable and contextually relevant solutions. Local ownership also ensures quicker repairs, reduced downtime, and stronger alignment with healthcare realities on the ground.
Why This Matters
This issue is not just about electricity—it is about saving lives. An oxygen concentrator that cannot function during a power surge, or an infant warmer that fails in the middle of the night, can mean the difference between life and death.
By addressing the energy-health nexus, we can:
- Reduce medical waste and financial losses.
- Improve the resilience of healthcare systems.
- Enable reliable, life-saving care in the most challenging environments.
Conclusion: Designing for Real-World Impact
Healthcare access in low-resource settings will only improve if medical devices are designed with energy, infrastructure, and local expertise in mind. The call to action is clear: manufacturers, policymakers, and donors must collaborate to prioritize context-aware, energy-efficient, and scalable healthcare solutions.
Only then can we ensure that every piece of equipment placed in a facility is not just “available” but truly functional—ready to serve the people who need it most.
Read the full article here: https://sun-connect.org/strategies-for-context-aware-energy-efficient-and-scalable-healthcare-solutions/