The public health sector has faced interruptions with service provision at clinics and other health facilities due to load-shedding. According to the Free State Department of Health spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, the National District Hospital and the Universitas Academic Hospital have been exempted from load-shedding since August 2021 and the department is working on ensuring that other hospitals are too.
“There’s been persistent engagements with every decision-making structure to get health facilities exempted from load-shedding. Since the call by the National Ministry of Health, the Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital in Bloemfontein, the Bongani Regional Hospital in Welkom, and the Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital in Qwaqwa have applied for exemption,” says Mvambi.
“All hospitals are life-saving and there’s none more important than the other. Unfortunately, health has for the longest time now sent endless justifications why all health facilities should be exempted and we have not been successful, to a point where we’ve implemented the installation of industrial generators to keep essential parts of the hospitals functional during load-shedding,” says Mvambi.
As stated by a Ministerial briefing, the National Director-General of Health will be working along with the heads of departments (HODs) on all logistical arrangements regarding which hospitals may be exempted and when will this come into full effect.
Mvambi further stated that they hope by the end of the week, there will be information on which hospitals may be exempted and when it will come into full effect.
Bonolo Moloi
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