Although India is on the path to becoming the third largest economy in the world, there are still parts of this country, where things are not as bright and rosy as one might imagine. In several parts of rural India, access to basics such as clean water, uninterrupted electricity and fundamental healthcare is still lacking.

Rural healthcare in India is structured around a tiered system designed to serve vast and diverse populations. According to recent data, as of 2021, there were approximately 157,819 sub centres, 30,579 Primary Health Care centres and 5,951 Community Health Centres operating across the country. These facilities are the frontline of government-provided healthcare, tasked with everything from routine checkups to emergency care. In rural areas, a single PHC typically covers an average of 35,602 people, while one CHC may serve as many as 163,298 individuals.

Despite these ambitious targets, many of these centres have historically struggled with intermittent power supply, outdated equipment, and staff shortages. Unreliable electricity has often meant that critical devices—from refrigerators for vaccines to diagnostic imaging tools—could not function optimally, compromising service delivery. Today’s focus on electrification is dramatically changing that narrative, ensuring that rural healthcare facilities operate without interruption and at a quality closer to urban standards.

The importance of electricity in healthcare – 7 ways they are both connected

Access to electricity and consistent health care are two fundamental pillars of modern development and there is a deep connection between both. At Project Chirag, we have seen how a constant supply of electricity can transform a community or an entire village and when combined can contribute to rural progress.

Here are 7 of the many ways in which rural electrification can improve healthcare:

  1. Enhanced infrastructure for health facilities – One of the primary challenges in rural India is the lack of robust health infrastructure. Reliable electricity is the backbone of any modern health facility—it powers lighting, diagnostic equipment, and life-saving medical devices. Rural health centres, clinics, and hospitals can operate more efficiently and safely with a steady power supply. For instance, our initiatives focus on installing solar power systems in remote areas and this ensures a reliable source of electricity, allowing community health centres to function with more ease.
  2. Improved emergency medical response – Medical emergencies come without notice, and the ability to respond swiftly to emergencies is paramount. Rural areas often face challenges due to long distances and limited access to emergency services. However, reliable electricity can make a significant difference in these situations. A well-powered health facility can run emergency equipment such as oxygen concentrators, defibrillators, and ventilators without interruption.
  3. Ensuring better maternal health – Among the many areas benefiting from improved infrastructure, maternal health stands out. Labour and delivery in rural India have traditionally been fraught with challenges. A stark disparity exists – while skilled birth attendants attend 73.4% of urban deliveries, only 37.4% of rural births receive such expert care. This gap has contributed to high rates of maternal and neonatal complications. Electrification can play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges. With continuous power, labour rooms can maintain optimal conditions – ensuring proper lighting, sterilization, and the operation of critical monitoring equipment.
  4. Empowering health care professionals with modern technology – Continuing on the same thread as the previous point – continuous power supply means that health care professionals in rural settings can utilize modern medical technologies and digital health solutions. By integrating technologies, such as electronic health records, diagnostic imaging, and other computerized systems, health professionals can make better-informed decisions, track patient histories accurately, and monitor health trends within the community.
  5. Facilitating the maintenance of critical medical equipment – Medical equipment such as incubators, dialysis machines, and laboratory instruments require constant power to function correctly. Interruptions in electricity can lead to equipment failure, delayed diagnoses, and compromised patient care. By ensuring an uninterrupted power supply, rural health centres can maintain and operate critical equipment without the fear of sudden outages. A community electrification program like the ones we work on can offer a sustainable and reliable alternative to traditional grid power.
  6. Revolutionizing telemedicine – Telemedicine has emerged as a groundbreaking solution to bridge the health care gap in remote regions. Electrification makes it possible to operate the necessary communication devices and software that power telemedicine. With a stable power supply, telemedicine units can connect patients in rural areas with specialists in urban centres, enabling expert consultations without the need for long, arduous travel. This gives rural residents the chance to receive timely diagnoses and medical advice, thereby reducing delays in treatment and saving lives.
  7. Reliable cold chain storage for vaccines – Vaccination is a critical component of public health, especially in rural regions where infectious diseases can spread rapidly. However, vaccines are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and require a consistent cold chain for storage. Rural electrification in India ensures that refrigeration units in rural health centres can operate continuously, maintaining the efficacy of vaccines, leading to better immunization coverage and healthier communities.

In rural India, where every day is an uphill journey against infrastructural challenges, the integration of sustainable energy and continuous health care is a beacon of hope. Through combined efforts and innovative projects like the ones we spearhead at Project Chirag, we are working towards building a future where no community is left behind – a future where every individual has access to quality health care powered by reliable, sustainable energy. So, when you donate to Project Chirag, when you make a donation for rural development, you are helping improve a community and eventually the country!

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