The Free State department of health has announced that three major hospitals in Bloemfontein are exempted from loadshedding and that plans are afoot to have solar energy serve as a backup power supply. These mitigating measures followed Eskom’s introduction of Stage 6 loadshedding on Tuesday, 6 December.
The South African energy supplier shifted to Stage 6 as its ability to supply power became severely constrained and hamstrung by municipalities’ failure to pay up billions owed.
The hospitals exempted from loadshedding are Universitas, National District Hospital, and the Free State Psychiatric Complex. Alternative solar power will act as backup at the Moroka Hospital in Thaba Nchu, Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein, Bongani Hospital in Welkom, and Manapo Hospital in Qwaqwa.
Mondli Mvambi, provincial spokesperson of the department, said to avoid the current wave of loadshedding, the provincial department has installed backup power generators at all hospitals and community health centres.
“In a plan with the national department of health, the Free State department of health has submitted a list of many other facilities that should be considered for exemption from loadshedding. We already know that this may not be immediate as there are public infrastructure changes that must be effected, and move the hospitals from municipal lines to Eskom lines,” said Mvambi.
He said the provincial department also has an electrical framework contract in place to attend to all power related failures experienced at facilities.
“This follows industry figureheads calling for intervention as hospitals across the country are on life support, unable to help patients in critical conditions during blackouts,” said Mvambi.
