In Assam, a fleet of solar-powered medical boats is revolutionizing healthcare for communities on remote river islands, where floods and poor road connectivity often cut off access to hospitals. Operated by the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C‑NES) with state health authorities, these boats now serve around 250,000 residents across 14 districts. Equipped with 3–5 kW solar panels, the boats power outpatient services, laboratories, vaccine refrigeration, lighting, and staff accommodation — allowing medical teams to provide immunizations, antenatal and postnatal care, routine check-ups, and emergency response reliably, even during monsoons.
Beyond healthcare access, the initiative exemplifies sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure. By replacing diesel generators with renewable solar energy, the boats reduce operational costs, cut carbon emissions, and avoid the logistical challenge of extending electricity to isolated islands. The program has improved maternal and child health outcomes, ensured consistent delivery of vaccines and medicines, and created a model for mobile, green healthcare in flood-prone and disaster-vulnerable regions. Assam’s solar-powered medical boats offer a scalable blueprint for combining renewable energy, mobility, and community health in climate-challenged landscapes worldwide. More