Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has announced that many major hospitals across the country are exempted from loadshedding.

This includes TygerbergHospital, Groote Schuur Hospital and the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

This follows a number of engagements with various stakeholders including Eskom, on how loadshedding can be better managed with minimal disruptions to the provision of essential healthcare services to save lives.

We have given an undertaking to Eskom that we respect their call to ensure very prudent use of electricity so that the nation can benefit while there is a shortage.

The department is also engaging with the National Treasury to discuss additional budget implications to sustain these interventions.

Phaahla says the increased consumption of diesel oil has skyrocketed and some of the districts and health facilities have already exhausted the supply of what they’ve budgeted for in terms of the maintenance of generators.

We’re also working on a phased approach to investing in renewable energy through the installation of solar power facilities at our facility and all our health facilities to provide an energy mix.

He says there is a feasibility study which has been undertaken to look at how the Department can finance the introduction of this energy mix.

We appreciate the support and commitment by Eskom to support the exclusion of certain health facilities from loadshedding.

The Minister says equipment is at risk in ICUs and those are some of the very sensitive equipment which has to be protected. He says power interruptions, especially if someone is on a ventilator, could risk a patient’s life.

He says the request for exemption from loadshedding is mainly for public hospitals, as 85% to 90% of the public depend on public health services.

We will encourage Eskom and the local authorities to include private facilities in their exemption as we interact with the backlog of surgery.

Currently, there are 37 health facilities that will be exempted from loadshedding. But Phaahla says as this week goes on, more will be added.

Read more: Calls grow for loadshedding exemptions for healthcare facilities