Phaahla: R300m to exempt 46 hospitals from load shedding
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the move by government to exempt some 46 hospital across the country will cost R300 million.
Phaahla addressed the media during a briefing by several ministers on the national state of disaster on energy on Friday.
“Intervention to speed up the implementation of medium-to-long-term measures presented by Eskom on the exemption of 46 hospitals in various provinces at the estimated cost of R356 358 000,” Phaahla said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his State of the Nation Address that the country’s energy crisis would be declared a state of disaster to allow government the means to resolve the problem.
Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in the gazette on Tuesday that the objectives of the regulations are to assist the energy generating entities to restore their capacity.
This included granting exemptions from load shedding or reduced to load shedding schedules to specified essential infrastructure and services.
Phaahla said the Health Department has provided the power utility with a list of 213 health facilities to be considered for possible exclusion.
“Seventy-six have been exempted, 26 which are directly supplied by Eskom and 50 by municipalities. The department is to present an energy mix plan with low-medium-long terms for implementation.
“This will include primary health facilities/clinics and community health centres providing necessary protection to our health facilities to avoid deterioration of quality of service delivery at health facilities.”
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