From Audit to Action
In Mali, the link between electricity and health outcomes is stark. A midwife delivering at night without reliable light, a vaccine fridge shutting down after hours of blackout, a lab test delayed because diagnostic equipment sits idle—all are daily realities when power is absent or unreliable.
Recognizing this, IRENA partnered with SELCO Foundation and EnGreen to deliver one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of how renewable energy can strengthen healthcare across Mali.
EnGreen’s role was clear: go beyond desktop research. We designed and led the field audit that put real data behind the urgent call for electrification.
Our team coordinated on-site surveys across a representative sample of healthcare facilities—health posts, health centres, and hospitals—covering everything from load measurements and equipment inventories to O&M practices and financing structures. It was a technical exercise, but one rooted in listening to doctors, nurses, and technicians who live the challenge every day.
Measuring What Matters
At the heart of EnGreen’s contribution was turning scattered anecdotes into structured evidence. Working with local experts, we collected and validated information on:
- Energy access and reliability: quantifying outages, genset usage, and fuel dependency
- Device functionality: mapping the availability and condition of critical medical equipment
- Cost structures: unpacking how facilities finance energy—through user fees, government subsidies, and donor contributions
- Load profiles: calculating actual and projected electricity demand, disaggregated by facility type
This dataset did more than reveal averages. It highlighted disparities: rural posts where outages stretch up to 24 hours, hospitals where diesel costs eat into medicine budgets, and centres struggling to maintain even modest solar systems due to funding gaps.
By translating these observations into numbers—peak loads, annual consumption, maintenance costs—EnGreen created a foundation for investment planning. The audit was not just a report; it was a roadmap that allowed decision-makers to move from assumptions to actionable strategies.
Bridging Health and Energy Systems
One of the distinctive features of EnGreen’s role was acting as a bridge between two traditionally separate worlds: healthcare delivery and energy infrastructure. For ministries, financiers, and donors, the question is not only “how much power is needed” but also “how do we ensure that energy translates into better care.”
Our analysis showed, for instance, that maternity wards and cold chains are the most vulnerable to outages. That insight makes a difference: it turns a kilowatt calculation into a policy priority. By linking technical data to health outcomes, EnGreen ensured that the investment case resonates beyond the energy sector—it speaks to child mortality, disease prevention, and staff retention in rural areas.
The collaboration with IRENA and SELCO Foundation did not end at diagnosis. The report also provides pathways for integrating renewables into Mali’s national health and energy strategies.
Here, EnGreen’s field evidence was essential. It allowed policymakers to see where grid extension is realistic, where standalone solar with storage is more cost-effective, and where hybrid solutions could ensure resilience.
Moreover, the financial insights we provided—detailing how facilities currently manage O&M, and the real cost burden of gensets—directly fed into recommendations on delivery models. Whether through public financing, non-profit service delivery, or public-private partnerships, the report emphasizes that sustainability depends on aligning costs, revenues, and responsibilities.
A Catalyst for Change
For EnGreen, this project was not just another consultancy assignment. It reflected our broader mission: transforming sustainability from a theoretical goal into practical, measurable action. By leading the audit and co-authoring the report, we demonstrated what our “Sustainability as a Service” approach means in practice: deep technical work combined with an eye for systemic impact.
The results are already influencing conversations in Mali and beyond.
Development partners now have the evidence base they need to design bankable programmes. Ministries can prioritize investments with confidence. And perhaps most importantly, healthcare workers across Mali can look forward to systems that support rather than constrain their work.
EnGreen’s involvement in this landmark report underscores the role that specialized, hands-on partners can play in global energy transitions.
In fragile contexts like Mali, the stakes are too high for generic solutions. Success depends on rigorous data, cross-sectoral understanding, and the ability to translate kilowatts into human outcomes.
As we continue to work with governments, donors, and local communities across Africa, EnGreen remains committed to this mission.
Healthcare is only one piece of the puzzle, but it is a decisive one. Reliable, renewable power in clinics and hospitals is not just an energy intervention—it is an investment in dignity, equity, and the right to health.
Download the full report to explore the future of healthcare electrification in Mali
The study reveals how lack of reliable energy access continues to undermine healthcare delivery across sub-Saharan Africa—and Mali is no exception. While three out of four health facilities now have electricity, many remain dependent on unreliable or costly sources, leaving critical services like maternity, emergency care, and vaccine management at risk.
This report offers the first comprehensive assessment of energy needs across Mali’s health system—from rural health posts to regional hospitals—and proposes decentralised renewable energy solutions, such as solar PV with battery storage, tailored to each level of care. It also estimates the investment required, highlights sustainable business models, and sets out pathways for long-term operation and maintenance.
Download the full report: Electrification with renewables: Enhancing healthcare delivery in Mali
