Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.o.za

2 min read | 14:00 pm CAT

Thirty-seven hospitals, or around a tenth of public hospitals around the country, will be excluded from load shedding. Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced this at a media briefing on Friday morning. Several role players in the health sector have called for intervention, arguing that there is a considerable possibility that vulnerable people could die at public hospitals because of load shedding.

Load shedding has negatively impacted the commission of health services and health care workers’ ability to do their services.

In an interview, Ministry spokesman Foster Mohale told Radio Islam International the impact of managing the load shedding had been meditated to ensure that no lives are lost in the health care facilities due to load shedding.

During the load shedding hours, backup generators and other energy sources are prioritised to power areas such as ICUs and theatres. Mohale said the impact currently felt results from the cost of diesel and maintenance of generators.

Twenty hospitals within Gauteng and KZN come up within the 37 hospitals that have been exempted.

According to Mohale, the aim is to ensure that all hospitals across the country are exempt from load shedding.

“We are in current discussions with the municipalities and Eskom as some hospitals receive power directly from the municipality while others from Eskom,” he says.

He added that the number of hospitals on the list would increase daily to ensure that almost all hospitals, including private facilities, are exempt.

Listen below to the interview on Radio Islam’s podcast.