From sea to clinic: HELPR-1 powering Vanuatu’s remote health centres

Funding round: Round 1, 2025

Country: Vanuatu
Sector: Healthcare

About this project

Around 80,000 people living in off-grid communities across Vanuatu are set to benefit from improved healthcare with 40 health facilities receiving new or upgraded solar power systems and improved support of key medical appliances.

Respond Global, through its unique HELPR-1 vessel, will transport and install 20 new off-grid solar power systems and refurbish 20 additional health facilities, enabling reliable 24/7 electricity in some of Vanuatu’s most remote communities for the first time. HELPR-1 is a mobile health and logistics vessel that transports medical supplies, personnel and resources across the Pacific, ensuring vital services reach even the most isolated areas.

This one-year REnew Pacific project, supported by the Vanuatu National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), will improve local healthcare delivery, including night-time emergencies and maternity care. It will also supply essential medical equipment and cold chain refrigeration, which are critical for vaccine storage and improving health prevention.

Beyond healthcare, the project will support schools and community buildings by repairing and upgrading existing off-grid systems and removing e-waste. Through local training initiatives and partnerships with the Vanuatu Institute of Technology, the project will strengthen local capacity, ensuring long-term sustainability and the ability for local communities to maintain these vital energy systems. The project aligns with Vanuatu’s renewable energy, climate resilience and disaster preparedness goals.

$3,340,267

Total funding

$1,471,688

DFAT contribution

$1,868,579

Partner contribution

Partner

Respond Global provides internationally-proven and practical health and disaster management solutions, that are scalable, adaptable, and fit for purpose, including through HELPR-1. Respond Global has been at the forefront of disaster management for many years, having been involved in leadership and coordination roles during both domestic and international disasters of significance such as the 2022 Victorian flood crisis, COVID-19 Pandemic, Black Summer bushfires, Measles outbreak in Samoa, Cyclone Debbie in Queensland, 2015 Nepal earthquake, 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria.

The HELPR program (Health Emergency Logistics Preparedness and Response) aims to support and strengthen local capacity for delivery of key government programs, particularly in rural and remote communities, and to support preparedness and response to emergencies and disasters.

HELPR-1 is a specially converted 32-metre vessel able to accommodate up to 52 people for up to 3 weeks at a time without resupply and is positioned to respond within hours to any emergency or disaster in the Vanuatu and nearby Pacific countries.

The National Green Energy Fund is a financial vehicle designed to assist the Vanuatu Government to achieve its National Energy Roadmap targets through both public and private investment in technology and infrastructure across Vanuatu. It aims to boost households and public institutions’ energy access, while also providing a pathway for local businesses and industries to invest in clean, climate-resilient energy that meets their economic needs, creating transformative opportunities for rural communities.

About this project

Respond Global’s HELPR-1 vessel bringing renewable energy to hard-to-reach areas across Vanuatu

This two-year REnew Pacific project will benefit over 4,700 people across eight rural communities in Vanuatu’s Santo, Paama, Tanna, and Malekula islands by installing solar-powered water pumping systems that will improve water security, sanitation and hygiene. It will also equip 24 health centres and schools with standalone solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and battery energy storage, providing reliable, clean energy for essential services.

The project is led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and supported by the National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), the Department of Water Resources (DoWR), the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health. It’s set to support local employment, offering local community members training in maintenance, financial management and system governance to ensure the long-term sustainability of the systems while contributing to local economic growth.

Aligned with Vanuatu’s National Energy Roadmap and climate resilience goals, the project aims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 1,500 tonnes over its lifespan. It will power greater climate resilience for these local communities, enabling greater access to clean water, energy and essential services while supporting Vanuatu to achieve its goal of 100% electrification with renewable energy by 2030.

Context

Vanuatu faces significant challenges in providing reliable electricity to the 75% of its population living in remote and rural areas across its six provinces. Spanning almost 1,000 miles and 63 inhabited islands, the country experiences logistical difficulties faced by few others.

Many health facilities, schools and community buildings in these regions suffer from frequent power shortages or have yet to have power systems installed, severely affecting essential services such as healthcare and education. Health facilities, in particular, struggle to maintain critical services like night-time emergency and maternity care and vaccine storage, and the use of medical equipment due to unreliable energy sources.

Diesel generators, the primary power source for many institutions, are costly to operate and unable to meet the continuous energy needs. As the country with the highest disaster risk worldwide, its health facilities are often damaged by cyclones and other natural disasters, further straining healthcare delivery.

This REnew Pacific project will address these energy and climate challenges by installing 20 new off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, refurbish 20 existing systems and supplying key medical appliances to improve health service delivery while building local capacity for ongoing maintenance. Respond Global’s HELPR-1 vessel is uniquely positioned to navigate Vanuatu’s geography and logistical challenges, enabling this project to meet its goals successfully.

Respond Global with its ship HELPR-1 will help get energy to the hardest to reach areas of Vanuatu. Clean locally sourced energy will help remote health clinics care for patients and improve community health outcomes.

– Dr Ian Norton

Managing Director, Respond Global

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