Solar kiosks bring remote healthcare to rural Chad at a fraction of the cost

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 AUGUST 2026 —

Solar-powered telemedicine kiosks bridge healthcare gaps in rural Chad

Now, the resident of Bitkine, a rural community in central Chad, can consult a doctor remotely through a solar-powered telemedicine kiosk installed near her home.

“Telemedan has transformed how my family accesses healthcare,” Kodo told Al Jazeera. “Before, I had to save money just to travel and see a doctor. Now, I can do it on time with fewer costs, and it has even improved my economic situation.”

For many in Chad’s rural areas, distance is as significant a barrier to healthcare as the shortage of doctors. Medical services and specialists are concentrated in urban centres, leaving remote communities underserved.

“The issue wasn’t just the lack of doctors,” said Abakar Mahamat, founder of Telemedan, the initiative behind the kiosks. “It was also the distance between those doctors and the communities that needed them.”

Launched in 2021, Telemedan uses solar-powered kiosks to bring consultations closer to communities with limited electricity, internet access and medical infrastructure.

“Instead of asking people to travel hundreds of kilometres to see a doctor, we use technology to bring the doctor to them,” Mahamat explained.

Each kiosk operates on solar panels and batteries, ensuring functionality even without reliable grid electricity. A local operator registers patients, records signs using equipment such as blood-pressure monitors, glucometers, thermometers, pulse oximeters and electrocardiogram (ECG) machines, and facilitates remote consultations with doctors via video link.

Telemedan’s kiosks can also be equipped with additional diagnostic tools, including stethoscopes, temperature sensors and, in some cases, ultrasound machines. A trained operator assists patients in using these devices.

The system is designed to function in areas with unreliable internet. Patient data can be stored locally and synced when connectivity improves. An Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service enables those without internet access to book appointments and access health information.

Kiosks connect via mobile networks or satellite links, depending on the location.

“We want to ensure that unreliable electricity or internet access doesn’t mean unreliable healthcare,” Mahamat said.

Medical travel costs in Chad can be prohibitive. Mahamat noted that some journeys for care can exceed $200 when factoring in transport, accommodation, logistics and consultation fees.

Telemedan consultations range from $2 to $15, depending on the service.

“A patient shouldn’t have to choose between seeking medical care and feeding their family,” Mahamat said.

Telemedan began as a pilot project and has since expanded with support from grants and institutional partnerships, including Chad’s Ministry of Public Health and Prevention. The initiative now operates 37 kiosks across 11 provinces, reaching an estimated 143,000 people.

The project has also incorporated artificial intelligence to screen for diabetic retinopathy, a diabetes-related condition that can impair vision. The AI tool is intended to assist healthcare professionals rather than replace them.

While the kiosks provide critical access, they are not a substitute for emergency care or comprehensive examinations. Patients requiring specialist treatment, laboratory tests, medication or hospitalisation must still access higher levels of the healthcare system.

Telemedan’s expansion aligns with Chad’s broader digital health strategy. Youssouf Silay, an assistant to the coordinator of Chad’s National Digital Health Programme, told Al Jazeera that the country’s National Health Development Plan (2022–2030) identifies digital health as a key strategy to expand healthcare access.

Chad established its National Telemedicine Programme in 2021 and launched the National Digital Health Programme in 2023. The Ministry of Health is also developing a legal and regulatory framework for digital health services.

“The goal is to promote innovative solutions that improve healthcare access, particularly in areas with limited medical and energy infrastructure,” Silay said. “Solar-powered telemedicine kiosks like those from Telemedan can play a role in bringing services closer to underserved populations.”

However, challenges remain. Ensuring the kiosks remain operational, maintaining connectivity, training local operators and guaranteeing doctor availability are ongoing priorities. Patients needing advanced care must still travel to facilities equipped to provide it.

Each kiosk costs approximately $10,000, according to Mahamat. Telemedan sells the units to governments, public health programmes and partner organisations, which then operate them. This model ensures patients do not bear the infrastructure costs.

Telemedan aims to reach one million people in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa.

While a solar-powered kiosk cannot replace a hospital or a doctor in every scenario, it can reduce the distance between patients and the healthcare system.

“We want Telemedan to become a sustainable layer of healthcare infrastructure, not just a collection of technology projects,” Mahamat said.