Julius Global Health, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and the National Ribat University, Sudan.
Soba Centre for Audit and Research (SCAR), Soba University Hospital, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
Psychol Health Med. 2022 Jan-Dec;27(sup1):124-137. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2109049. Epub 2022 Aug 5.
Critical disparities threaten health care in developing countries and hinder progress towards global development commitments. Almost a billion people and thousands of public services are not yet connected to electricity - a majority in sub-Saharan Africa. In economically fragile settings, clinics and health services struggle to gain and maintain their access to the most basic energy infrastructure. Less than 30% of health facilities in LMICs report access to reliable energy sources, truncating health outcomes and endangering patients in critical conditions. While 'universal health coverage' and 'sustainable energy for all' are two distinct SDGs with their respective targets, this review challenges their disconnect and inspects their interdependence in LMICs. To evaluate the impact of electrification on healthcare facilities in LMICs, this systematic review analysed relevant publications up to March 2021, using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, clinicaltrials.gov and CINAHL. Outcomes captured were in accordance with the WHO HHFA modules. A total of 5083 studies were identified, 12 fulfilled the inclusion criteria of this review - most were from Africa, with the exception of two studies from India and one from Fiji. Electrification was associated with improvements in the quality of antenatal care services, vaccination rates, emergency capabilities and primary health services; with many facilities reporting high-quality, reliable and continuous oxygen supplies, refrigeration and enhanced medical supply chains. Renewable energy sources were considered in six of the included studies, most highlighting their suitability for rural health facilities. Notably, solar-powered oxygen delivery systems reduced childhood mortality and length of hospital stay. Unavailable and unreliable electricity is a bottleneck to health service delivery in LMICs. Electrification was associated with increased service availability, readiness and quality of care - especially for women, children and those under critical care. This study indicates that stable and clean electrification allows new heights in achieving SDG 3 and SDG7 in LMICs.
发展中国家的医疗保健面临严重差异，阻碍了全球发展目标的实现。仍有近 10 亿人口和数千项公共服务无法获得电力，其中大多数在撒哈拉以南非洲。在经济脆弱的环境中，诊所和卫生服务机构难以获得并维持最基本的能源基础设施。中低收入国家中不到 30%的卫生设施报告能够获得可靠的能源，这缩短了卫生成果，危及危急情况下的患者。虽然“全民健康覆盖”和“人人享有可持续能源”是两个不同的可持续发展目标，分别有各自的目标，但本综述挑战了它们之间的脱节，并审视了它们在中低收入国家的相互依存关系。为了评估电气化对中低收入国家卫生设施的影响，本系统综述分析了截至 2021 年 3 月的相关出版物，使用了 MEDLINE、Embase、Scopus、CENTRAL、clinicaltrials.gov 和 CINAHL。所捕获的结果符合世界卫生组织 HHFA 模块。共确定了 5083 项研究，其中 12 项符合本综述的纳入标准——大多数来自非洲，除了两项来自印度和一项来自斐济的研究。电气化与改善产前保健服务质量、疫苗接种率、应急能力和初级卫生服务相关联；许多设施报告称拥有高质量、可靠和连续的氧气供应、冷藏和增强的医疗供应链。在纳入的研究中，有 6 项研究考虑了可再生能源，其中大多数强调了它们对农村卫生设施的适用性。值得注意的是，太阳能供氧系统降低了儿童死亡率和住院时间。中低收入国家的电力供应不可靠且不稳定，是卫生服务提供的瓶颈。电气化与服务可用性、准备就绪度和护理质量的提高相关联——特别是对妇女、儿童和重症监护患者。本研究表明，稳定清洁的电气化有助于在中低收入国家实现可持续发展目标 3 和可持续发展目标 7。
