Cape Town - Millions of rands spent on fuel and oil to keep generators and alternative power supply running at state hospitals during load shedding has become a “costly exercise”, with hospital organisations raising concerns that not all healthcare facilities were exempted from power cuts.
Western Cape Health spokesperson, Mark van der Heever, said fuel expenditure was in the same budget as medical gas and oil.
By February 16, R10.2 million was spent on this, while in January the bill came to R15.8m.
Since April last year, the department spent nearly R121m on fuel expenditure.
Van der Heever said they have made submissions for the load shedding exemption of an additional 10 hospitals on the Eskom grid, and nine additional (to the existing three) under the City grid.
In a parliamentary answer last week, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said only Groote Schuur, Tygerberg, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and George Regional hospitals were exempted from load shedding by September 2022 in the province.
Since then, the City of Cape Town and Eskom have made progress in exempting more hospitals from load shedding.
Additional hospitals now exempted on the City of Cape Town’s grid are the New Somerset Hospital, Mitchells Plain Hospital, Karl Bremer Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Mowbray Maternity Hospital and Wesfleur Hospital.
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) spokesperson, Sibongiseni Delihlazo, said it was concerning that some facilities suffered during load shedding.
“In many cases facilities get supply of electricity from the same line as communities.
“ We find that if there is load shedding in Delft and Khayelitsha, you will find that those local hospitals are affected as well simply because the grid that supplies the community is on the same line as the hospital.
“There is a need for essential services to be separated from the lines that affect communities so that the lights can stay on.
“That is where the challenge is and that is becoming a costly exercise to the government,” said Delihlazo.
General Secretary of the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (Hospersa), Waheed Hoosen, said: “As Hospersa, we welcome the move by the Western Cape Government to exempt some of the hospitals from load shedding, as this has had a devastating effect on the entire health care sector.
“Although we believe that this is a move towards the right direction, we are of the view that all health facilities should be exempt from load shedding ... because all health care facilities provide crucial and lifesaving services.”
In terms of the cost to keep the lights on, Hoosen said: “We do however call on the Western Cape Government to seek cheaper avenues, were possible, in ensuring that this a reality.”
Van der Heever said two electricity providers were currently investigating and assessing the exemption of these hospitals from their grids.
“The Department is in regular contact with the two electricity providers on the progress which is dependent on various impacting factors.
“(A total of) 290 facilities, 24hr facilities such as Community Health Centres and hospitals have back-up power supplies.
“Eight-hour clinics do not have back-up power supply as they do not utilise equipment which require constant electricity supply.
“All facilities have maintenance teams who assess the generators and service them regularly.
“Where a generator is deemed to need replacement, such replacement is ordered and interim arrangements are made to ensure continued medical and health care is provided,” said Van der Heever.
Answering a parliamentary question, Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers said provincial government buildings had installed back-up generators in all provincially owned office buildings.
“Over the same period (April 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023), the department will have incurred an amount of about R633 000 for the hiring of generators to further support various departments’ operational requirements, and approximately R1.3m for the procurement of new generators and related equipment, specifically bousers, which are holding tanks and trailers for diesel,” said Simmers.
Cape Times