Powering healthcareFor a long time, the focus of electricity access has been largely at the household level. It is only recently that access to electricity is also being recognised as critical for public services like electricity for health facilities, schools and street lighting. In health facilities, regular electricity access is necessary for deliveries, storage of vaccines, provision of emergency services, supply of clean water, and retention of skilled staff. In India, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) ensure last-mile delivery of healthcare services, that is, at the village level. However, one in every two PHCs in India, and one in every three in Chhattisgarh, is either un-electrified or suffers from irregular power supply. This extent of power deficiency across PHCs could hamper the provision of healthcare services in the country. Still, the impact of access to electricity on healthcare service delivery has rarely been explored in detail in India.
For a long time, the focus of electricity access has been largely at the household level. It is only recently that access to electricity is also being recognised as critical for public services like electricity for health facilities, schools and street lighting. In health facilities, regular electricity access is necessary for deliveries, storage of vaccines, provision of emergency services, supply of clean water, and retention of skilled staff. In India, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) ensure last-mile delivery of healthcare services, that is, at the village level. However, one in every two PHCs in India, and one in every three in Chhattisgarh, is either un-electrified or suffers from irregular power supply. This extent of power deficiency across PHCs could hamper the provision of healthcare services in the country. Still, the impact of access to electricity on healthcare service delivery has rarely been explored in detail in India.