Improving vaccination access through off-grid electrification: An assessment in Ghana

Access to reliable, clean energy is essential for quality healthcare, particularly during global health crises like COVID-19. While electricity access in Ghana has improved, a significant urban–rural divide leaves many rural communities without a stable power supply, limiting their access to quality healthcare. Although electrification and healthcare planning are inherently connected, they are often approached separately.

This study develops a stepwise methodology to integrate both sectors by combining open-source spatial analysis, energy system modelling, and multi-criteria analysis. Using Ghana as a case study, it quantifies the population with restricted healthcare access and analyses electricity demand, including additional needs for COVID-19 care. Based on this, electrification strategies are formulated for underserved health care facilities, along with a prioritisation framework.

Findings reveal that seven percent of Ghana’s health care facilities are in weak- or off-grid areas, including 172 public facilities responsible for vaccine distribution, which require reliable electricity to maintain cold chains. Electrifying these health care facilities could improve healthcare services for nearly one million people. Additionally, specialised COVID-19 treatment could increase electricity demand by up to 60 percent, leading to higher energy costs. The open-source approach of this study allows for adaptation to other country contexts, providing a scalable framework for healthcare electrification planning.