Nexus between UHC rollout and renewable energy

Between November 7 and 18, the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh will be hosting world leaders in Climate Change Mitigation: The 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC COP27).

Sharm El-Sheikh is an opportunity to address the factual paradox that in over the past 20 years, investment in renewable energy grew rapidly, yet of the $2.8 trillion (Sh325.6 trillion) invested globally between 2000 and 2020, only two per cent came to Africa. This despite the continent’s enormous potential to generate renewable energy, according to a report by International Renewable Energy Agency and the African Development Bank.

Egypt’s credential as the cradle of civilisation, whose scholastic attributes gave rise to our present-day appreciation of maths, science and arts is fitting historical background as Africa has a chance to present a signature resolution with regards to the preceding resolutions that have led to an ambitious target of 1.5 degree Celsius reduction from pre-industrial levels.

Kenya being a signatory to the Paris agreement and having a double whammy moment of presenting its 2023 to 2027 Nationally Determined Contributions and being the host of the Unep, will send a stronger delegation to Egypt’s COP 27 as it’s a chance for it to refine its climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.

Inasmuch as the transport sector is the leading carbon emitter in Kenya’s plan, its socio-economic plans are hinged in the rollout of UHC programme, which thankfully is receiving great airtime from both sides of the major political manifestos.

The nexus between energy and UHC cannot be gainsaid. From the very moment a health seeking consumer steps into a health facility his card is processed by a PDQ card reader, which uses energy, from then onwards, from data entry in medical records to medical examination at the triage, from lab and X-ray to admission, at all these points, a patient is interacting with energy-enabled devices.

As the Kenyan government is rolling out UHC, they should offer guidelines for integration of the health facilities with renewable and reliable energy.