There are a total of 1,174 Peripheral Healthcare Units in Sierra Leone, encompassing Maternal and Child Health Posts (MCHPs), Community Health Posts (CHPs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs).

While most clinics have some access to electricity, the majority of clinics lack reliable energy access throughout the day. This constrains medical service delivery as lighting, sterilization and refrigeration capacities are limited.

The Government of Sierra Leone aims to increase health clinics’ access to electricity through the Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP). The project is implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

This brief reports on close to 200 health care facilities across 14 districts of Sierra Leone. Half of the clinics recently received free access to off-grid solar electricity through the RREP project. It also points to policies which can improve the implementation of the programme in Sierra Leone and elsewhere, boosting the quality of healthcare services through rural electrification.