According to the World Bank, only 14.3% of the Central African population has access to electricity, with important disparities: approximately 35% in Bangui compared to barely 0.4% in rural areas. This low energy coverage is a major obstacle to the provision of essential services, particularly in the health sector, impacting, among other things, the quality and continuity of care.
In response to this situation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is helping to strengthen and increase the autonomy of healthcare infrastructure by building, renovating and installing hybrid solar energy systems in several medical facilities across the country, notably in Batangafo, Bangassou and Bossangoa. These investments are essential for improving access to care, continuation of healthcare and the quality of medical services. Indeed, energy autonomy enables healthcare facilities to maintain the cold chain for vaccine storage and to provide night-time services thanks to battery storage systems, as is the case in many health centres in the Bangassou area (South of CAR) for example or in large hospitals in Batangafo and Bossangoa (North of CAR).
Before the solar parks were set up, the facilities were largely dependent on expensive diesel generators. In Batangafo, for example, the hospital used more than 3,000 litres of fuel per month to power its services, while in Bossangoa, monthly consumption reached around 5,500 litres, at an average cost of 2,000 CFA francs (approximately £1.50) per litre. This dependence, in addition to being costly, regularly exposed the hospital to power outages, resulting in interruptions in patient care.
This transition to green energy also reduces environmental impact and carbon emissions, while limiting fuel dependency and lowering energy costs, particularly those associated with the purchase and maintenance of generators. More broadly, MSF has committed to reducing its global carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, compared to 2019 levels — an ambitious goal that illustrates the organisation's desire to balance humanitarian action with environmental responsibility.
This package brings a fresh, positive and innovative perspective, shedding light on a country that’s too often overlooked and far from headlines, a forgotten crisis marked by the lack of functional medical facilities, inadequate resources, and limited access to essential care.