Arunachal to provide solar power to 393 health centres under Energy for Health initiative

Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Biyuram Wahge on Wednesday, September 23 inaugurated the state-level launch of the Energy for Health initiative, under which solar power systems will be provided to 393 healthcare centres across the state.

The initiative, implemented in collaboration with the SELCO Foundation, aims to improve the reliability of power supply at public health facilities, particularly in remote and resource-constrained areas.

The inauguration programme was held at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Itafort in Itanagar and was attended by Commissioner of Health Pawan Kumar Saini and Secretary, Health Department, Vivek H.P.

During the event, Wahge released the photo book ‘Energy for Health – Arunachal Pradesh’ and launched the Saura e-Mitra App, a digital incident management system aimed at strengthening the monitoring and management of incidents related to health facilities.

A Health Facility and Human Resource Mapping System, a web-based application, was also launched during the programme. The system is intended to provide digital mapping of healthcare facilities and human resources across the state.

Dr Harish Hande, Chief Executive Officer of the SELCO Foundation, briefed the gathering on the organisation's Energy for Health initiative and its work in strengthening energy access for healthcare facilities.

The SELCO Foundation's Energy for Health programme is a nationwide initiative focused on providing reliable solar energy and energy-efficient medical technology to public health facilities in remote and underserved areas.

Under the programme, decentralised solar photovoltaic systems ranging from 3 kWp to 15 kWp, along with battery backup systems, are installed at healthcare facilities to ensure a more reliable power supply.

The foundation plans to provide solar energy solutions to 25,000 public health facilities across 12 states by the end of 2026. The initiative is expected to strengthen healthcare delivery and climate resilience for more than 170 million people and support over 160,000 frontline health workers.

The programme has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, state health missions and funding partners, including the IKEA Foundation.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the initiative is expected to support healthcare centres in addressing power-related challenges and improving the availability of essential medical services.