Durban - South African Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla said the department would be introducing a power mix into its facilities to reduce the effects of load shedding on hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Phaahla said the power mix would be implemented from the next financial year.
“It will include renewable energy. There is already a hospital in Witbank being constructed, and it already has solar panels, which is part of the plan.
“A detailed work is being done to make sure that in the future, all our hospitals should have a mix, including solar panels and an array of batteries. Storage batteries, which should be able to contribute uninterrupted power supply,” Phaahla said.
“We want to assure you we are doing everything possible in supporting our front-line health workers to ensure they are providing quality health care timely,” the minister added.
The minister said the budget for diesel and fuel used during load shedding had been exhausted as the power cuts have occurred more frequently.
He said this was just a temporary measure for worst-case scenarios, but due to the level of power cuts, hospitals have gone through their budgets faster.
Phaahla said the department would be pleading with parliament to avail funds due to “unforeseen” effects of the current energy crisis.
Weekly meetings between Eskom and the health department to discuss the impacts of load shedding and ways forward will be held, Deputy Minister Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said.
He said that no lives had been lost at a hospital or healthcare facility due to load shedding.
Earlier this week, Phaahla called on the government to have hospitals and health facilities exempt from power cuts as it is affecting the treatment and care patients receive.
Director-general of the department, Sandile Buthelezi, was ordered by the minister to finalise an assessment of the impact of the power cuts.
Phaahla has also reportedly been in engagements with (Minister of Public Enterprises) Pravin Gordhan, Eskom and municipalities on the processes followed in order to exempt health facilities from load shedding.
IOL