Water and load-shedding crisis hinders surgeries at provincial hospital

POLOKWANE – All elective operations at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital have been canceled due to the ongoing water and load-shedding crisis.

The Department of Health said the hospital will only focus on emergencies as a result and that they are concerned about the negative impact of load-shedding on provision of health care.

“Load-shedding affects a wide range of patient care equipment such as chiller plants and airconditioners for theatres, medical gas and freezers for patient food, medicine and mortuaries. As a result, hospitals are unable to carry out operations as planned,” spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said.

He added that the ongoing water shortage in Polokwane has also had a disruptive effect on water supply to health facilities.

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“Facilities end up having to rely on water tankers from municipalities which have proven to not be enough for hospitals to fully function. Without water, services such as washing of patient laundry, cooking food for patients and other procedures which requires a lot of water to perform, cannot be done,” Shikwambana said.

Clinics have also been affected as Shikwambana said majority of them rely on boreholes which use electricity to pump water.

“The department has initiated discussions with Eskom to find a lasting solution,” he said.

Polokwane has been without a steady supply of water for several weeks with mayor John Mpe assuring residents that the municipality is doing everything to restore supply.

Read more: We’re doing everything to bring back water supply – mayor

“We have been in discussions with Eskom to ensure security of supply to Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) to ensure that operations continue,” he said.

Mpe promised that reservoirs will be filled within 48 hours of load-shedding ending.