Hospitals without generators

Minister reveals several EC health facilities have no back-up power for load-shedding

SEVERAL Eastern Cape hospitals and health department facilities do not have back-up generators installed, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said in reply to parliamentary questions.

The hospitals and facilities without generators include Orsmond TB Hospital in Humansdorp; Midlands hospital in Graaff-Reinet; GraaffReinet Day Hospital; Temba TB Hospital in Grahamstown; GraaffReinet ambulance station; Elizabeth Donkin Hospital in Port Elizabeth; Joubertina Community Health Centre; and the PZ Meyer TB Hospital in Humansdorp.

Motsoaledi was replying to parliamentary questions by DA MP Dr Wilmot James. “The big hospitals such as Livingstone in Port Elizabeth, Frere in East London, Butterworth and Frontier [Queenstown] have more than one generator due to necessary power requirements,” Motsoaledi said. A project for the installation of generators was controlled and monitored by the Department of Public Works, and the appointed contractor had subsequently been liquidated.

Provincial public works spokesman Mphumzi Zuzile said the department was involved in the procurement of the contract, but the service provider was liquidated due to non-payment by the provincial Department of Health (DoH).

“The department [public works] generated a report to the client (DoH) outlining outstanding works according to the scope of works. Since the budget sits with DoH, the department was awaiting for an instruction and budget confirmation from the client to complete the contract,” Zuzile said.

Health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the department was in the process of “connecting new generators” to the facilities listed. He said none of the affected facilities were providing life-saving or emergency services. “One generator at Midlands hospital is now connected and two more new ones are in the process of being connected. Furthermore, a new generator has now been connected at Orsmond TB Hospital.

“No deaths have been experienced in the Eastern Cape arising out of load-shedding or the lack of access to an alternative power supply.”

Motsoaledi said there was a considerable shortage of generators at hospitals across the country.

James, the DA health shadow minister, said the shortage “is a serious concern and a threat to patients’ lives during load-shedding”.

Reports emerged last week that two patients had allegedly died in a Limpopo hospital after generators failed to start when the electricity went off.