Kigali, 18th May 2014-The Ministries of Infrastructure and Health in the Government of Rwanda are behind the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative in a bid to improve service delivery, through connecting all health centers in the country with electricity by 2017.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously declared 2014-2024 as the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, underscoring the importance of energy issues for sustainable development and for the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda. The resolution stressed strong support for the Secretary-General’s initiative, launched in 2011, and seeks to achieve universal access to modern energy services, double the improvement rate of energy efficiency and double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030 in order to spur economic growth, address global inequalities and preserve the environment.

The situation as far as Africa is concerned is particularly striking: 590 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity – representing around 63% of the urban population, but only 14% of the rural population have access– and some 690 million do not have clean and safe cooking facilities. 19 of the 20 countries with the lowest energy access rates globally are located in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 74% of the global access deficit for electricity is concentrated in just 20 countries – 12 of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Under-Secretary-General, Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, who also chairs UN- Energy, the coordinating arm of UN agencies dealing with energy related issues has affirmed that the first two years of the SE4ALL Decade will focus on the theme of Energy, Women, Children and Health.

Reports suggest that women and children (4 million per year) die more from air pollution than HIV and malaria combined. In some countries when women cook using coal or fire wood, they carry babies on their back as they inhale the smoke thus causing premature deaths.

In health care settings, the effects of energy poverty can be devastating especially in childbirth, where darkness can mean death, and where light can mean life. Women face grave risks when they have to rely on a clinic that has no electricity. Access to modern energy services, lighting, refrigeration, and clean water is essential for social and economic development in nearly every sector; in health care, it is more than that – it can mean the difference between life and death. Women and children are the most affected and lack of energy is the number two killer of women around the world.

The Sustainable Energy for All Initiative is launching the decade in Africa during the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank especially as 42 African countries have joined to date.  To mark the event, a field trip is being organized to visit Byumba and Kigogo Health Centers in Gicumbi District to underscore the importance energy in the health sector and to raise awareness about the silent killer killing our mothers, sisters, and friends and children.

Energy is fundamental poverty reduction and a critical enabler of development. It supports people as they seek a whole range of development benefits; from cleaner, safer homes, lives of greater dignity and less drudgery, to better livelihoods and better quality health and education. Access to affordable, clean energy services can change the lives of women and girls and help to generate local income when linked to productive activities.

This was revealed by the Minister of State in charge of Energy and Water, Emma Francoise Isumbingabo, during a visit to Gicumbi District. “We wanted to show the development partners that we have moved a step towards achieving sustainable energy for all and are now looking at having all Rwandans access to sustainable energy by 2024,” she said.

Isumbingabo was in the company of Health minister, Dr Agnes Binagwaho, Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella Under-Secretary-General who chairs UN- Energy, the coordinating arm of UN agencies and officials from the African Development Bank, one of the developing partners in the energy sector. The delegation toured Byumba and Kigogo health centers.

Minister, Binagwaho said about 20 per cent of the health centers in the country have no electricity which affects quality health service delivery.

“Quality service delivery is affected when there is no power in health facilities, no blood bank can operate without a refrigerator, we want safe delivery for expectant mothers yet even the most skilled health personnel cannot operate in darkness,” she said.

Glycerie Mukanyarwaya, the director of Kigogo Health Centre which has no electricity, told the delegation that work is difficult for them especially at night.

“We serve over 20,000 people at this health centre. Sadly, we cannot do blood analysis because of lack of power. We only take urine samples and do tests that do not require electricity. We offer 24 hour services but are constrained at night, especially in the maternity section,” she said

 Gicumbi district boasts of 23 health centers, four of which have no electricity.

 Alexandre Nvuyekure, the district mayor, said 11 out of 21 sectors in Gikumbi have no power. 

He, however, said they had embarked on a programme of electrifying eight sectors out of the 11 this year, and called on the contractors to expedite the project.

The tour came at a time Kigali is hosting the 49th Annual meetings of the African Development Bank where sustainable energy for all is among the issues to be discussed.