- Health experts in the UK have launched the 100-4-100 Project, aiming to raise USD 100 million to provide clean energy to 100 hospitals across India and the Global South.
- The project will install solar power and energy storage systems in hospitals facing frequent power outages, starting with pilot schemes in India and Nigeria.
UK health experts have launched a global initiative to raise USD 100 million to equip 100 hospitals across India and the Global South with clean and secure energy solutions. The 100-4-100 Project project was unveiled on Monday during a conference hosted by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, based at the University of Birmingham.
The initiative addresses the frequent power failures that hinder healthcare delivery in hospitals in remote areas of low-income countries. These failures often disrupt critical services, endanger patient safety, and result in the loss of life. The project will focus on installing solar power systems in 100 hospitals across seven countries: India, Benin, Ghana, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa.
According to the University of Birmingham, hospitals in the Global South often experience severe power outages. On average, 88 per cent of hospitals experience power losses for at least four hours a week. These outages leave healthcare facilities unable to operate essential equipment, including life-saving machinery, significantly affecting patient care.
To address this issue, the 100-4-100 Project plans to implement comprehensive clean energy solutions, including solar panels, energy storage systems, and LED lighting. The goal is to ensure reliable, uninterrupted power to hospitals, enabling healthcare workers to provide safe and effective treatment.
Professor Aneel Bhangu, a professor of global surgery at the University of Birmingham, emphasised the importance of electricity in healthcare. He noted that power cuts are a frequent and dangerous occurrence in many regions of the Global South, leaving hospitals unable to function correctly.
“Reliable electricity will save lives, and clean energy will help save the environment,” Bhangu stated. “We are seeking USD 100 million to implement and evaluate on-site clean energy strategies for 100 major hospitals across the Global South, allowing staff to operate safely and prevent avoidable deaths.”
Following the campaign’s launch in UK, the NIHR Global Surgery Unit plans to pilot the project in India and Nigeria. The pilot will provide solar power to operating theatres in two hospitals. Chinchpada Christian Hospital in India faces daily power cuts of up to nine hours, forcing the use of polluting and costly diesel generators. If successful, the scheme will be rolled out to 100 hospitals in the target countries.
The initiative also aligns with global efforts to promote environmentally sustainable practices in healthcare. The project aims to transform healthcare delivery and sustainability in underserved regions by reducing reliance on unreliable power grids and lowering carbon emissions. It is backed by a community of 50,000 surgical team members across 120 countries, combining local leadership and innovative solutions to improve surgical care worldwide.