Locations
Smart Health Systems
Renewable Energy, Reliable Healthcare
About the Project
Smart Health Systems (SHS) is a national initiative led by the Ministry of Health and implemented by UNDP Zambia, with support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The project strengthens Zambia’s health system by combining solar energy, climate-controlled infrastructure, and digital connectivity to ensure that health facilities in rural and peri-urban Zambia can operate reliably and sustainably.
Through the solarisation of health facilities, the digitalisation of health procedures, enhanced connectivity and the construction of climate-smart medical warehouses, SHS tackles long-standing challenges such as power outages, weak cold-chain systems, and limited data visibility. The result is improved service delivery, enhanced medicine storage, and stronger resilience against climate and energy disruptions.
Project Objectives
- Power healthcare delivery through solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for reliable electricity in off-grid and under-supplied health facilities.
- Enable digital health services by connecting facilities to the internet for real-time data management.
- Strengthen supply-chain resilience through regional medical warehouses with temperature-controlled storage for medicines and vaccines.
- Advance the Sustainable Development Goals notably SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13: Climate Action.
- Enhance local capacity and sustainability via training for health workers, technicians, and community-level operators in solar system management.
Impact
Project Vision
Smart Health Systems project envisions a Zambia where every health facility has the power and technology it needs to save lives.
By pairing renewable energy with smart infrastructure, the project reduces healthcare disruptions, protects medicine potency, and enhances patient outcomes to build a climate-resilient, digitally-enabled, and equitable health system that work for every Zambian, everywhere.
Partnerships That Power Progress
The Smart Health Systems project is a collaborative effort between:
- Ministry of Health (MoH) — providing policy leadership and coordination.
- The Global Fund — financing sustainable health-system strengthening and infrastructure resilience.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) — offering technical support, implementation, and monitoring.
- Smart Zambia Institute (SZI) — enabling digital connectivity for health facilities.
- Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) — ensuring efficient supply-chain operations.
- Local governments and communities — supporting ownership, sustainability, and local development benefits.
