Key Responsibilities

The tentative key tasks that will be undertaken by the solar energy experts in each one of the three selected countries are listed below. Some of these activities will be tailored and further defined according to the specific country context.

1. Stakeholder mapping and coordination

• Take stock of ongoing and planned programs on electrification of health-care facilities, as well as on water supply and provision of medical devices in health-care facilities at country level.
• Map and liaise with relevant institutional actors throughout the electrification process, including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy, Rural Electrification Authority, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Water and Sanitation.
• Map and liaise with potential partners and donors throughout the assignment, as well as with other key stakeholders at country level that may be involved in planning, funding, and implementing projects related to electrification of health-care facilities.
• Engage with key stakeholders (both from public and private sector) to understand the lessons from previous experience (if any) on health-care facility electrification and the potential country challenges in this area.
• Compile a mapping report which includes the list and main activities and plans on health-care facilities electrification (if any) of the key institutions working on electrification of health-care facilities. The aim of the report is to ensure that there is no overlap with other electrification efforts as well as to explore synergies with other actors.

1. Energy-health data gathering 

• Take stock of the most updated data and information on the status of electricity access in health-care facilities in the country.
• Identify, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the priority, high needs and high impact health-care facilities that need to be provided with solar photovoltaic energy systems.
• Undertake primary data/information collection and analysis at health-care facility level in the identified priority health-care facilities. The expert is expected to undertake an on-site assessment of selected health-care facilities in each of the three countries. The data collection at facility level will be undertaken in coordination with the Ministry of Health, and based on templates, questionnaires, online tools and technical guidance provided by the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. The data to be collected at facility level will be mainly related to:
• the presence and status of on-site energy system (e.g. diesel-based generator, solar system), if any;
• the presence and status of medical devices and appliances;
• the status of the health-care facility infrastructure (including suitability for photovoltaic modules installation) ;
• the presence and status of clean water supply system;
• the list of health services provided, and relevant elements (e.g. population served).
• key health indicators.
• location-specific elements to be considered during design and installation such as road access, roof/ground mounting, existence of rooms for storing energy system related equipment indoors (e.g. batteries, inverters) etc.
• the condition of existing electrical wiring at the facilities, in order to assess the need to renovate, replace or add it.
• Information gathered will include pictures of each facility assessed and of their key elements. These pictures, along with the other information, may be uploaded on a online app indicated by the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
• Compile the key gathered and analysed data and the facilities information in the form of a report and a spreadsheet, with a section for each assessed facility.

1. Energy-health needs assessment

• Based on the data gathered through the previous tasks, estimate the electricity demand at health-care facility level for each of the health-care facilities assessed.
• The electricity demand in the facilities will be estimated following the guidelines of the Ministry of Health (e.g. on the medical devices that should be present in each facility according to its category, population served etc) and in cooperation with the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
• The Energy-health needs assessment will take into consideration, among other aspects։
• the electricity demand needed to power all medical devices and appliances that are expected to be present in each facility, including the non-catered energy loads related to the medical devices and appliances that are not present in the facility yet;
• the energy demand necessary to provide adequate clean water supply, connectivity and telemedicine;
• the health services provided by each facility, its expected opening hours, and its catchment population.
• The electricity needed to cover the electricity needs of the staff house(s) (to be included in a separate section)
• The assessment will also take into consideration the interventions needed in term of internal electrical wiring.
• The expert will compile the analyses and information in a form of a report with a section for each assessed facility.

1. Development of techno-economic analyses and design of solar systems  

• Based on the energy needs assessments developed at facility level, develop the techno-economic analyses related to the health-care facilities electrification through photovoltaic systems coupled with batteries, including technical solutions and related cost estimates.
• Design the solar energy system suitable for each facility, in coordination with the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health. The design should be reported with standard design report that shows assumptions, calculations, and Single Line Diagram (SLDs).
• The report will also take into consideration the technical and economic aspects related to internal electrical wiring, as needed.
• Produce Bill of Quantities and specification for the designed systems, including for generation, storage, distribution system etc.
• Identify the operational and technical needs (and relevant costs) to ensure operation and maintenance of the solar energy systems in the medium and long term as well as the most suitable approaches to ensure operation and maintenance.
• The analyses will also take into include the key on-site interventions needed to ensure the water supply in each facility (e.g. based on status of water collection, storage system, etc).
• The expert will compile a technical report with the techno-economic analyses and the technical solutions identified for each facility. The report should include all the key technical elements, such as size of different technical elements (PV modules, inverter, batteries), indicative location where they can be positioned within the facility area, and other key aspects.
• The report should also include the cost estimates regarding the solar electrification, since it will also be used also in the framework of the fundraising.
• The report will include a separate section with an approximate cost estimate for electrification of staff houses (when relevant).

1. Fundraising for health-care facilities electrification

• Map and identify possible donors and funding opportunities for each of the three countries relevant to this assignment, to support the implementation phase of the health-care facilities electrification.
• Engage with potential bilateral and multilateral donors active in each of the three countries, in close coordination with the relevant WHO country offices, including bilateral and multilateral cooperation agencies, embassies, NGOs, etc
• Develop funding proposals, in cooperation with WHO Country Offices and WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, to support both the installation and the operation and maintenance of the solar systems. Liaise and follow up with potential donors and partners.
• Coordinate also with actors supporting key elements related to health-care facilities, such as the support to provision of medical devices and the water supply systems at facilities level, in order to identify synergies and maximise impact at facility level in a holistic way (energy, water, medical devices, connectivity and digital health, etc).
• Prepare a Fund rising report which describes all the engagements activities with potential donors undertaken in each of the three countries, including outcomes of fund raising activities, contact details of the focal persons, and recommended follow-up activities.

10% of the expert time is dedicated to support NORCAP’s activities as attending monthly community of practice sessions, annual reporting, follow up calls and other requests which shall be organized with responsible teams at WHO.