No more power disruptions at Windsor East Clinic
07 September 2015
In a move that will mitigate electricity challenges faced by Johannesburg’s public clinics, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Councillor Nonceba Molwele on Wednesday September 2 launched the hydrogen and fuel cell technology at the Windsor East Clinic in Region B.
The pilot project – which forms part of the expansion of the City of Johannesburg’s eHealth system – is a joint initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, the City and the private sector. The technology has imbedded standby power that kicks in when there is load-shedding or a disruption in electricity supply, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to vaccine fridges and air conditioning units.
MMC Molwele said she was relieved that the nursing staff would not have to worry about the refrigeration of medication during electricity cut-offs but they would instead channel all their efforts to what they had been trained to – attending to the sick.
“As a City, we are for the sustainability of the environment as proposed by the King III report on good governance, hence our delight in knowing that the fuel cell technology over and above being more efficient, quieter and compact is also cleaner and better for the environment,” she said.
Quoting Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau when he delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, she said “technology is a tool designed to pull together smart systems to aid urban efficiency in the cities”.
She said the City had installed electronic health systems in Slovoville Clinic and Green Village and was in the process of expanding the eHealth project to all clinics in Region D. She praised the Department of Science and Technology for “this world-class initiative”.
“It is partnerships and collaborations like this that strengthen service delivery," she added.
The MMC said load-shedding was not the only challenge to constant power supply. She said the City was also a victim of cable theft and illegal connections. Ward councillor Laurette van Zijl said she was excited about the fuel cell technology pilot project in her ward. She said she was passionate about the environment and equally enthused by the benefit the hydro fuel cell technology.
“This is a great step forward,” she said.
Also present at the launch were Dr Refik Bismilla, the City’s Executive Director of Health; Mboneni Muofhe, Deputy Director-General in the Department of Science and Technology; and Proportional Representative Councillor Montgomery Maphike. The private sector partners in this initiative are Clean Energy Investment and Air Products, supported by Gridling Construction and Powertech ISI. Clean Energy Investment Managing Director Gavin Coetzer said the company was proud of its contribution to improved healthcare.
“We making a difference through science,” he said. To install the equipment it costs about R200 000 and the Windsor East clinic will be used as a model for the province in terms of the usage of hydro fuel cell technology in health centres.