Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has announced that 37 of the country’s 300 public hospitals are now free of load shedding. Private hospitals, he said, had not requested exemption.
The Department of Health has announced various initiatives to assist the healthcare sector through record rolling blackouts, including exempting hospitals from load shedding.
In a news briefing last Friday (30 September), Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said the government was doing all it could to mitigate the load shedding. The effect of the rotational power cuts on the health system could not be underestimated or overemphasised, he said.
News24 reports that while a total of 37 hospitals across the country have so far been exempted from load shedding, Phaahla said he wants to see all public hospitals and other healthcare facilities spared from power cuts. “The 37 hospitals are not enough. It is a drop in the ocean. We want to make sure that the more than 300 hospitals and a lot more health centres in the country are exempted. We want the remaining 90% to get on board,” he said, adding that private hospitals had not asked to be spared from load shedding.
The department’s focus, he said, was public facilities because they serve more than 80% of the population.
Alternative energy sources like generators and uninterrupted power supply systems were in place at most public health facilities, but were not designed to provide back-up electricity for lengthy periods, Phaahla said. Some generators were also old, while others did not have the capacity to power an entire facility, and by September, several hospitals had already exhausted their 12-month supply of diesel and oil, reports Mail & Guardian.
The following health facilities are currently exempted from load-shedding:
Gauteng – Charlotte Maxeke Hospital; Helen Joseph Hospital; Steve Biko Academic Hospital; George Mukhari Hospital; Pretoria West Hospital; Tshwane District Hospital; Mamelodi Hospital; Bronkhorspruit Hospital; Kalafong Hospital.
Free State – Pelonomi Regional Hospital.
KwaZulu-Natal – Harry Gwala Hospital; Greys Hospital; Ladysmith Hospital; Prince Mshiyeni Hospital; RK Khan Hospital; Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital; McCords Hospital; King Dinuzulu Hospital; Mandela Children’s Hospital; Mahatma Gandhi Hospital; Osindsweni Hospital; St Aidans Hospital;
Addington Hospital; Clairwood Hospital.
Limpopo – Mankweng Hospital; Lebowakgomo Hospital; Dilokong Hospital;
Mecklenburg Hospital.
Eastern Cape – Frere Hospital; Elliot Hospital; Livingstone Hospital; PE Hospital;
Uitenhage Hospital.
Western Cape – Tygerberg Hospital; Groote Schuur Hospital; Red Cross Hospital.
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