The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has issued an urgent appeal to government to grant healthcare facilities exemptions to Eskom’s rolling blackouts.
Several medical fraternities have warned of the potential threat the rolling blackouts have on patients in intensive care units and retirement homes.
SAMA chairperson Doctor Mvuyisi Mzukwa says in some cases hospital generators are insufficient.
“What is happening is that we have been approached by our members from different provinces to say that they are feeling the pinch. Hospitals are battling under pressure because of load shedding where it is even difficult to attend to emergency operations, emergencies and also babies are being affected. Those that were born prematurely were kept in the incubators, so the problem is dire.”
Below is the full interview with Dr. Mzukwa:
Eskom has implemented stage three rolling blackouts.
Earlier, President Cyril Ramaphosa has conceded that government will not eliminate the current massive rolling blackouts in the short term, however He says government’s goal is to reduce the frequency and severity of the blackouts in the immediate term
As we work with greater urgency to fix the immediate problem of an unreliable power system, we are also busy laying the groundwork for a sustainable, lasting solution to the country’s electricity woes.https://t.co/ILcDTuzKrs pic.twitter.com/xKaQU7qElE
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 26, 2022
