Question NW4023 to the Minister of Health

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25 November 2022 - NW4023

Profile picture: Clarke, Ms M

Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether, given the damaging effect of load shedding on the public health sector, any studies have been done (a) nationally and (b) provincially to assess the power capacity needed in hospitals and clinics; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether any studies have been done (a) nationally and (b) provincially to ascertain what total number of hospitals and clinics have generation capabilities independent from Eskom, such as solar and/or wind energy; if not, why not; if so, will he furnish Mrs M O Clarke with the results of the specified studies; (3) whether any feasibility studies have been done nationally to provide public hospitals and clinics with facilities that will liberate them from dependence on Eskom's grid and empower them to generate their own electricity; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

SHORT-TERM INTERVENTIONS

  1. The National Department of Health has provided Eskom with a total of 213 hospitals to be considered for possible exclusion from loadshedding. About 67% of these hospitals are supplied by municipalities while Eskom supplies about 33% of the identified hospitals. Out of the 213 hospitals, 76 hospital has been exempted of which 25 are directly supplied by Eskom and 50 by Municipalities. The number of hospitals exempted to date have doubled since the meeting held on 22 September 2022 between Eskom and National Department of Health.

MEDIUM-TERM TO LONG-TERM INTERVENTIONS

2. The preliminary network analysis that has been conducted reveals that 25 hospital in various provinces can be excluded from loadshedding by building new infrastructure at the indicative cost of approximately R101 million rand. For hospitals deeply embedded in the Municipalities networks, Eskom will support the Department of Health in exploring possible options and can offer containerized PV(PhotoVoltaics) solutions where possible.

3. The National Department of Health in partnership with CSIR (Council for Scientific & Industrial Research) is currently conducting a due diligent exercise for the installation of solar panels at all our health facilities as a first or second or third power back-up mechanism (first being generators; second being solar panels; and third being Uninterrupted Power Suppliers). This due diligent exercise is inclusive of solar PV + battery storage as backup for the critical areas of the following hospital types based on an estimated demand profile

  • Clinics both 8 & 24 hours
  • Community Health Centres (CHCs):
  • District Hospitals
  • Regional Hospitals
  • Tertiary Hospitals
  • Central Hospitals
  • Specialized Hospitals

The purpose of the study is to identify a critical consumption for critical areas of each health facility so that the department can be able to roll-out the relevant solar energy for each health facility.

 

END.

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