“We’re working closely with CUC, and they spare us from being part of the load shedding,” Villagomez told the Variety in an interview last week.
However, he added, the main problem is the unannounced power outages because despite the hospital’s backup generator, computers and other highly technical equipment can still be damaged.
“We’ve lost so many computers” due to the unexpected power interruptions, he stated. “Every week… I always ask my [information technology officer] how many computers blew up…and it’s always two or five computers blowing up because of power surges.”
He said the hospital equipment’s backup batteries are also blowing up due to the power surges.
The hospital spends about $23,000 to replace one busted light bulb of a CT Scan, but CHC has yet to determine if the breakdown is directly attributed to power fluctuations.
“Our maintenance guys are very busy ensuring that all the equipment is running well after every power fluctuation,” Villagomez said.
Hospital operations, Villagomez added, are affected by the sudden power outages.
He said the hospital sometimes have to reschedule surgeries and turn off air-conditioning systems in some areas according to CUC’s load shedding schedule.
