Zambia: The Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) is conducting a load-shedding exercise to manage the electricity deficit. The situation has been affecting several small-scale businesses in the country.
Recently members of the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC) in Chinsali District have also expressed a serious concern due to loadshedding. The officials have asked ZESCO to start excluding the district and general hospitals and the water pump station from load shedding.
The request for consideration was made during a DDCC meeting. All the members of the housing committee were in agreement during the meeting. The committee noted that they understand the issues the ZESCO faces in procuring power.
However, the hospital and water pumping station are two basic necessities for the people, and they should not be taken away from them. The Commission was headed by Chinsali District Commissioner Samson Muchemwa.
The team asked ZESCO to find ways to exclude the two organizations from the load-shedding initiative. The situation came to light after the two organizations contacted the District Development Coordinating Committee.
The organization’s officials presented a report, sharing the challenges they are facing due to load shedding.
Chinsali District Surveillance Officer Kayombo Sakutaha represented the district health office at the meeting. He explained that health personnel fail to conduct medical procedures due to load shedding.
He has further asserted that the situation has badly limited the two hospitals in providing access to good healthcare facilities. He shared that the power generator at the general hospital is malfunctioning, which led to the hospitals facing issues.
According to the project document, the contractor has not yet cleared electrification and repairs and handed them over to the hospital management. Due to the load-shedding initiative, the patients are now refusing to be transferred to the General hospital.
They opt to be admitted to the district hospital, which has a limited power source that is temporarily tapped from the medical storeroom and only supplied to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The water utility company also presented similar challenges due to load-shedding initiative as it is causing erratic water supply in the district. Chinsali Acting District Water Manager Amos Banda said there is a need for ZESCO to consider the functioning of these institutions.
ADDCC Chairperson Samson Muchemwa appealed to the members to be calm. He promised that he would urgently engage the Provincial Permanent Secretary and see how best the issue can be handled.
Muchemwa, also the District Commissioner, assured and sympathized with residents affected by power load shedding for more than 12 hours due to faults.
ZESCO was not represented in the meeting and could not respond to the concerns.