Diesel for generators has cost Baragwanath hospital R3.4m in less than seven months
Generators only provide power for emergency operations so elective surgery has to be cancelled with devastating effects for patients
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital has spent R3.4m on diesel for its emergency generators so far in 2022.
Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi made the disclosure in a written response to questions by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng health spokesperson, in the Gauteng legislature.
According to Bloom, the hospital spent R2.63m on diesel in 2021 for its 20 generators, and the previous year it spent R321,000.
Mokgethi responded that there was one generator that failed because of battery failure.
Bloom said the high costs of feeding the generators strengthened the case for all public hospitals to be exempt from Eskom load-shedding.
“It’s a pity the hospital has to spend so much money on diesel to keep essential functions going when power is cut. The generators only provide power for emergency operations so elective surgery has to be cancelled with devastating effects for patients on long waiting lists.”
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