Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital has spent R3.4m on diesel for its emergency generators this past year, said provincial Health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi.
In a written response to questions by Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng shadow health MEC, Mokgethi said last year, the hospital spent R2.63m on diesel for its 20 generators, and the previous year, R321,000, reports TimesLIVE. Bloom said the high costs of generator fuel strengthened the case for all public hospitals to be exempt from Eskom load shedding.
“The generators only provide power for emergency operations so elective surgery has to be cancelled with devastating effects for patients on long waiting lists,” he said.
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